Starling murmurations: Thousands of wingbeats in breathtaking synchronised flight

Starling murmurations are awe-inspiring natural wonders occurring at this time of year

A starling murmuration over Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Experiencing a murmuration of starlings overhead on a winter evening is a wondrous thing. Looking upwards as the last of the day’s sunshine retreats westward and the open sky grades from pink to navy blue, this is when their social gatherings begin. As dusk deepens, flocks of starlings join from every direction, building momentum as their number swells until thousands of wingbeats join in an enormous, breathtaking synchronised flight. This aerial phenomenon is one of the most awe-inspiring of natural wonders to occur in this part of the world, and planning a trip to witness the shapeshifting mass of movement is always worthy of the effort.

Starling murmurations occur across Ireland right through the winter months, and it is during December and January when the number of birds involved in the murmurations tends to peak. When severe cold weather occurs in Scandinavia, and Central and Eastern Europe, life becomes especially challenging for small passerines such as starlings, so many migrate here to avail of our milder winters. The coming together of these migrant starlings from the east with flocks of resident birds, who remain here all year round, is what makes a, murmuration so truly momentous. A murmuration can be as large as tens of thousands of starlings, some swell to 100,000 or murmurations in Britain have been reported that contain a million birds. Even the sound alone is worth witnessing, with so many synchronised wingbeats swooshing low overhead, a powerful display of wild sound.