I see huge flocks of birds in the winter. What are they?
What you describe are European Starlings. In winter, Starlings stay in great big flocks on rooftops, along wires, in fields, anywhere there is room for a crowd. It’s quite a sight when they all fly together, seemingly with one mind directing the entire flock. Scientists aren’t quite sure how they do this, but why is a little easier – if they move together, they look like one large animal rather than thousands of little, vulnerable ones. Starlings are extremely common birds and are most noticeable in flocks in the winter. In the summer they spend most of their time breeding, during which time they are much less conspicuous. They are non-native, having come from Europe.
