Starling Murmuration Utrecht, the Netherlands

I’ve often wondered what tune might sound or knowledge might emerge, if the flight patterns of large groups of starlings flying across the sky were translated to song, code or DNA. It seems almost implausible that messages are NOT being transmitted within theses murmurations. We just don’t have the receivers for their frequencies. These natural messages are seemingly undectable to the modern human but can be beautiful to watch. If only we could tune in…but perhaps that is the message.

Yes, I know, European starlings are not native to North America and were in fact introduced in New York’s Central Park in the 1800s intentionally, but obviously without thinking about the effect on the native ecological system. European starlings are somewhat problematic in many ways in North America….. but…..they’re here and their flight patterns can be truly mesmerizing. The clip below shows a wondrous starling murmuration filmed in Utrecht, The Netherlands.