Starlings over Rome

Here are a couple links to some awesome videos of starlings flying over Rome. Apparently, they do this every night starting at 4:40 PM.

I wonder if they do this elsewhere and if anyone might have an idea as to why this is happening?

This is beautiful to watch.

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Thats great!!
They look like some kind of other worldly morphing entities.
We get them in Wales to a lesser extent,but those in Rome are awesome...just don't get caught underneath them!!!!
Some friends of mine are off to Rome next week and I've just told them to look out for this.
Incredible how the birds all seem to anticipate each others movements in sync!
Hive mind maybe?
S+F'd

Yo, I saw some TV documentary a while back which featured this phenomena. Apparently it happens most years, just all part of a migration passing through.
The Rome residents get pretty irate at it though, EVERYTHING gets covered in starling poop. Everything.

reply to post by sad_eyed_lady


Chimney sweeps also do this. There might be pigeons in urban areas like this also. I've seen an albino pigeon. It was pretty in a scavenger kinda way.

reply to post by sad_eyed_lady


every night on antennae on the large buildings downtown.
Its just basic flocking behavior, each bird is instinctively programed to remain a set distance from each other as they fly.
There is no lead bird so to speak, and they all just follow each other till they can all settle down.
It is pretty awsome to watch