Looks like millions of starlings flying over right now

This has been going on for over 30 minutes straight. An amazing sight to see. They just keep coming! Literally millions must be passing over head across my property in the Midwest.

They are flying from the south to the north. I have seen videos on youtube where it happens from time to time but not to this extent.

As I type they are still flying over head. There are so many that how it came to my attention was my little dog was sitting on the couch with me and he started looking at them through the windows and his head was following their crossing.

Very strange, I wonder if something big is going to occur down south from me? I am 45 miles north of Springfield.

Very cool! Take pics/video...but don't stand outside with your mouth open in awe looking up!

Also to note, I am an avid outdoors person and watch nature very closely, this is something that in the 19 years I have lived here has never happened before.

a reply to: antar

Are you trying to say that your watching a meteor shower????

a reply to: superman2012

Oh that would be very messy! I have no camera, no phone with a camera. crazy, but true.

a reply to: onequestion

No these are what I thought were sparrows, birds, but my ex is over and he said that they are starlings.

a reply to: antar

Springfield where? what state?

I wonder if anyone is in my area, or even Springfield and have noticed this phenomena in the past hour?

They are still flying past! Not as thick right now, but large groups still continue to pass by.

a reply to: Darkblade71

Missouri

a reply to: antar

Okay Homer or Bart, in just what Springfield are you? Do you think they are returning from being away all winter?

It is like "what on earth!"

Seriously a quick search:

. Birds are known to be sensitive to air pressure changes, and often hunker down before a big storm.

Still, researchers like Liz Von Muggenthaler — who appears in NATURE’s Can Animals Predict Disaster? — believe animals can pick up the “infrasonic” sound pulses created by storms and earthquakes, and get a head start on fleeing to safety. It would make sense, she says, that the animals learn to associate such signals with danger.

www.pbs.org...

a reply to: antar

I can't post the video on the page I am about to link to, but do they look like this?

Video of a massive starling flock turning and twisting over a river in Ireland has gone viral, and with good reason. Flocking starlings are one of nature’s most extraordinary sights: Just a few hundred birds moving as one is enough to convey a sense of suspended reality, and the flock filmed above the River Shannon contained thousands.

www.wired.com...

That would be an awesome sight! No matter the reason, you are lucky

a reply to: aboutface

Missouri and yes, Bart lives there.

That was one of my first thoughts too, but this is not a normal occurrence. I watch birds that migrate such as the geese, but these are fleeing it appears to me.

We will see, but even prior to the big ice storm of 07 this did not happen. I say that because there is a chance of a wintry/ice event tonight south of me, the direction the birds are coming from.

a reply to: antar

Well, there was a massive Starling die off in 2012 in Springfield.
Perhaps they learned from it and are fleeing the area before it gets to cold and they all start dropping from the sky.
That would be my take on it.

Actually, I take that back, they died from all flying into a big truck, so I dunno...
Something got them all stirred up though.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- It appears the bird death mystery at the intersection of E. Erie St. and Fremont Ave. last weekend has been solved. Francis Skalicky with the Missouri Department of Conservation tells KOLR10 News the starlings were killed after flying into a big truck. He says a witness reported seeing the incident and called the Springfield Nature Center to report it. The witness says he and another vehicle pulled over to see the strange sight. "I was heading north on Fremont about 10:30 Saturday morning and saw the flock of birds get hit by a red pickup truck," Mike Davis tells KOLR10 News. "I was driving behind the pickup. They were about two blocks south of Battlefield." The Conservation Department collected a few of the birds Monday and froze them for testing. Skalicky says during the winter months, this species of birds -- which are ground feeders -- flies in huge flocks from hundreds to thousands for safety reasons.

www.ozarksfirst.com...

a reply to: Darkblade71

Just beautiful, they were 'dancing' for the lovely family who happened upon a natural wonder.

The birds at my house were more in the fleeing mode, rapidly hurrying to get away from something. We will see.

Thanks for the amazing video.

We see these flocks quite often when a winter storm is about to move through the area. There is a 40 acre field just south of our house that I have seen literally covered by these flocks. Seeing them reminds me of the reports of carrier pigeons back in the days before their demise. Those reports said that it took most of a day for the flocks to fly over.
When these gigantic flocks appear here even the cats come indoors! They are quite loud but a wonder to behold nonetheless.

a reply to: diggindirt

Great explanation. I will go with your thoughts on this.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: antar

Are you trying to say that your watching a meteor shower????

I believe he's referring to this...

a reply to: Darkblade71

Oh how tragic. They look like the ones I saw, so whatever they are? Not sure.

Starlings winter over. Or at least, I see some visiting my suet feeder all year round.

I'm guessing they're trying to outfly that weather but why'd ya have to send 'em our way? They're messy, loud buggers.