60.000 Starlings in Flight.mpg

Dance with me....60.000 Starlings in flight with two falcons hunting them.
Filmed by Tuur Hofman in March 2011 near Utrecht Netherlands.
He left just the RAW data on you tube. To pity to leave it like that.
I resampled this file did some color and contrast correction adding
music to this marvelous example of emergent behavior in nature.

[@metalheadjock3513]

Never gets old....I could watch this forever. Here in America, (Franklin, Wisconsin), we are treated to this scene quite often. They are so addictive to watch.

[@slothguy5716]

What a wondrous universe.

[@jpalberthoward9]

Sloth Guy Uh huh, and what an amazing comment page too! If we could get all these people in one place, we'd really have something. Maybe we could start a town.

[@tld5500]

OMG, just like schools of fish!! beautiful to watch, like a lava lamp, maybe?

[@cdomize]

I love watching Gods handy work..WOW

[@jpalberthoward9]

cdomize Yeah, the hand of God touches my heart when ever I'm near any kind of birds. God does some mighty fine work, but birds could well be his best ever. Any place I go where they are, I'm in church. If anybody is trying to love and honor God, they can start by loving and honoring his work. "Journey of thousand miles begin with first step", and that's the first step.

[@metalheadjock3513]

@@jpalberthoward9 What an incredibly beautiful comment.

[@5436sidvicious]

I put a suet feeder out in my yard to attract woodpeckers and was annoyed when the starlings took it over until someone told me about the murmuration of starlings. Any bird that can do something this amazingly beautiful is welcome at my feeders anytime! Thanks for posting this!

[@angelkotilainen]

In the Uk they are red zoned which means they need conservation urgently, so well done feeding them!

[@corniss]

Yes. I got aanoyed also. But after observing them they are a nice bird. They are not aggressive at all toward the other birds. And it is NOT their fault they are here in the states. Humans brought them here. They are only trying to survive.

[@HamoodiClash]

The music is wonderfull and those flying dancers are mind blowing.

[@TRADERSFRIEND]

There is no way to witness this splendor and not know that there is a GOD!!!!!

[@therealsideburnz]

Im not seeing the connection. Care to elaborate?

[@TRADERSFRIEND]

@@therealsideburnz How is it possible to witness this splendor and not know that it is the art of perfect design

[@jpalberthoward9]

Some of the starlings make it all the way to Las Vegas. We had exactly 3 hanging out in the yard last winter. They're about as cool as it gets. Beautiful color patterns on the wings, and absolutely fearless. They take no shit from the pigeons, the Grackles, or even the red tail hawk. The sparrows and mourning doves don't even go near them. They bust right in and help themselves to whatever it is I throw down. I'm glad I'm not a farmer because then they'd be my enemies. As it stands, we're all friends and I get to enjoy their company. I will be looking forward to seeing them again this fall.

[@rr7firefly]

Some college bands can make a formation on the football field for the halftime show, but can they do anything this complex? I think not. The amazing thing is that this fluid motion is not directed by any one bird.

[@unreliablewitness2119]

Noe Berengena electric cell

[@lorral333]

I found the music perfect for the starlings! It was a perfect sensuous music for them.

[@judithdasilva3385]

I'm learning about the invisible connection between birds and sylphs. If that's a mystery to you, look at this and wonder...? There used to be a "murmuration" out of a tree in Leicester Square in London in the 60's during the night lights time, until the council covered the branches in lime to catch and destroy the starlings. What a loss it was.

[@klauszungler8930]

The Falcon in the background can't zoom in on a single bird -- amaizing

[@fljpopguy]

Hypnotic.

[@iggy082]

I now have a new edition to my bucket list.

[@jpalberthoward9]

iggy082 Yeah, I'm gonna have to go there and see this for myself.

[@MikeKeel]

It's almost like the solitary starling was orchestrating the murmuration!

[@paolopagliaro980]

Usually it's a falcon, whose attack the starlings avoid by means of such dance.

[@nikkicraft]

mesmerizing. thank you.

[@DG-AI777]

Gods lava lamp. And I really enjoyed the music. I thought it was perfect for the composition you shot.

[@chantalfeito4442]

Rien à dire tout simplement magnifique 🙏 splendide 👍👏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@alidasatalic5491]

Beautiful video and music! Thank you for posting!!!

[@CelticSaint]

There´s always 1 bird flying around aimlessly not know what the hell is going on! A bird with 2 left wings. Great video.

[@marypreid1]

+Celtic Saint the one bird is the falcon - see the title of the posting

[@see1050]

truly fascinating . thank you for capturing and sharing it !

[@elizabethridgeway4200]

We have starlings in our backyard! They are awesome to watch every day. I have put together videos on my KZbin channel. It's not nearly as many as this one is. Amazing and wonderful to see!

[@jpalberthoward9]

As I was coming in to work one day last fall, I saw a little female starling standing on top of a metal electrical box. As soon as she saw me, she started jumping up and down and singing. When I got closer I could see that she was one of the 3 that had hung out with us the previous winter, and migrated out that spring. I got out a peanut and broke it up, then I held it out and she jumped into my hand, then ran up my right arm and sat on my shoulder, then she ate the peanut pieces. She remembered me and came all the way back from wherever she had gone. She and 3 others stayed with us through the winter, and then they all took off again this spring. These are the kind of things that have been happening to me the last 3 years since I have been looking after the birds. I've never had such amazing experiences in my life. I probably have enough to write a book. All I can say with any real certainty is, birds are sacred. I don't know how else to put it.

[@johannesphilippmickenbecke9850]

Very amazing!!! Johannes & Philipp

[@biri5606]

Now this is something I really miss from Holland..

[@OrizontVertical]

Beautiful video. Beautiful music.

[@PaulLiley49]

Excellent images and love the music. paul

[@gateway2b]

Just great and a realy good music choice (G.E.N.E - Melancholy of Sunset)

[@AmyTaylorPortland]

I love that they used a murmuration in True Detective....I wondered if they did it by effects.

[@jorgeperozo8258]

muy bien logrado video, con una musica de fondo perfecta a lo que ve, una autentica danza natural, hermosa, armonica, perfecta ¡¡¡ aloha la natura...

[@chrischerrydreamer]

3 people just bloody hate sax shame great vid

[@alam1956]

Wonderful. Congratulations for the shooting of video.

[@jorgeperozo8258]

DEFINITIVAMENTE, CONOCER ESTO ME HA DEJADO PERPLEJO, haciendome ver que la naturaleza es perfecta, y que el ser humano somos simples depredadores de la naturaleza ¡¡¡¡

[@11Starheart]

Incredible flying / incredible filming

[@CosmicSouLight]

~~ Stunning ! ~~~

[@JulieinSeattle]

I wonder what the handful of people who marked this video "dislike" were thinking. Anti-birds? Hate nature? Hate music?

[@jpalberthoward9]

JulieinSeattle All of the above. They're probably demented meth heads with 950 tattoos and maybe 4or5 teeth. Leftovers from the 12th century. Most likely all butt hurt because they don't have some kind of belt-fed machine gun to annihilate all of the birds. I know the type well. They cannot look at anything beautiful without saying either "Damn I wish I had my gun" or "That there's some mighty good eatin' right there I tell yew wut!!" Grew up around 'em know 'em all too well. Nothin around to kill? Let's just git drunk and beat the fuck outta each other. They do make real good cops and storm troopers, though. If I sound disgusted and sarcastic, it's because I am. It's the type that just can't leave anything alone.

[@jpalberthoward9]

JulieinSeattle to

[@jpalberthoward9]

JulieinSeattle Thank God for the birds though, because they really are the antidote for the toxic personality described above. Lao Tzu said "If an entire ocean can not sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship, so the negativity of the world can not pull you down unless it gets inside you." I think our Chinese friends might have known what they were talking about.

[@metalheadjock3513]

They were actually Hawk's. 🦅

[@amusement420]

Yikes! I've seen bugs over trees like this but not this many birds. A tornado or UFO : The falcons probably didn't know which one to pick out. I have a recent vid of a spotted starling all puffed up in sub zero weather coughing up berries. I had a hard time looking up what it was it's so puffy. My uncle told me it was a female starling. We bought him a bird watching book for Xmas a few years ago. A hawk landed on my Dad's arm next to his car for a brief second. And we had a turkey buzzard with its wings spread cooling itself off on top of our neighbors garage. It freaked me out like Jeepers Creepers or something. What a wingspan.

[@fruitblossomblue1133]

great music choice for this video!

[@itchyliabdo]

David Attenborough eat ur hart out.. beautiful video. . Beautiful music. . Little bit to much reverb. But beautiful. . Well done. Thanks for sharing

[@KnightWhoSaysNi]

Amazing video and very well shot, but terrible choice for the music, unless all those birds died right after this video..

[@ashish19]

Come on, the music sounds superb and appropriate. You must be having a bad mood.

[@no42arak-st-floor44]

wish that Our lost loved ones can communicate with us through these murmurations!😢

[@ana108sy]

Amazing capture!

[@yuratarasenko9114]

Потрясающе! И никаких столкновений и травм!!!

[@lindalogan8460]

So beautiful to watch 👏🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

[@iCommentify1]

At 0:17, the murmuration looks a bit like a feather :D

[@dheerajvashishtphysics6815]

If we come to know the how-secret of their flights, all accidents can be avoided

[@dabeamer42]

Most excellent video of the murmuration. However, the last 2.5 minutes has a blank screen, and only music. Should have been edited out.

[@luke55664]

EPIC!

[@fluidminecrafting1290]

Now, how did they know it was 60,000?!

[@rlalex420]

You must be a prodigy if you counted 60,000 birds there.

[@shekar128]

alexander what a video thank u

[@MikeCaffyn1]

Brilliant - Pause at 1:41 for the big bird.......

[@vanreliant5584]

I should think 60,000 starlings could make mincemeat out of any bird of prey.

[@violettecrigny4459]

Magnifique vidéo

[@EdUnitsky]

Great music!... and video :)

[@soldadito34]

Humans: This is so awesome!!! This is nature!!! (Android 17 tone) I love nature!1!1!!! Birds after watch a boeing: Bird #19394: Go comrades!!!! The nest won't be eaten so easy!!!! Rest of birds: WE FLY UNTIL THE END!!!

[@Starlingchaser]

I like your description, by the way...

[@CmdSoda]

one consciousness

[@sheatheman]

nice musical outlude

[@MarkMahoney]

So beautiful

[@DeanBradfordPresents]

I have a video that I recorded at 240 fps and slowed down. It sounds like their song and micro echos maybe used like dolphins and they may process their observations really fast. And the rouge bird simply doesn't understand stand the starlings so therefore it has no chance. I guess the hawk thinks it's an all ya can eat buffet, but really it's all ya can't eat in this case. Please look on my channel to see may amazing discovery.

[@kwj171068]

The problem with this video is the guy who shot it was obsessed with zooming in when all he had to do was zoom out so we could see the magical sight.

[@SurapholKruasuwan]

Amazing thanks

[@Knackles09]

There is a single rule that creates these spectacles. Follow the birds around you. A single rule creates such amazing visuals. That's emergent behavior at its best folks.

[@igncrdrgz]

Wonderful. Maravilloso

[@muhammadakbarkhan2090]

Very beautiful God is greatest

[@ahmadalagga9981]

we think they are dancing ,while they meet the killing

[@ibrahimgullu9965]

Splendid

[@homaabrams1708]

Love it...................

[@lethalronin]

dan ben je wel ff aan het tellen geweest!

[@abhaysinghshindeinamdar7335]

Awesome.......

[@plenilunia28]

Bellissimo!

[@Timtalks_]

perfect visual effects! To mimic this in software takes careful consideration and hours of editing sometimes! Nature at it's best

[@nikkigrant7497]

My Goodness!

[@treewalker1070]

Anyone catch the falcon at 0:46 trying to grab a starling? Visible at 0:58 too. Shows up again 1:43, flies through flock, still unsuccessful.

[@ahmedmos4704]

Sobhanak ya khalik ya badi3a asmawatte wa alard oh sobhanak our creater all bird fly to geather like one bady

[@AppleSlicesUnite]

That one bird was conducting the rest of the murmuration. Very beautiful. I'm guessing at times their can be a range from one to a few other conductors at a time. REPLY

[@RonRay]

I would love to see this made with a camera without "zoom" capability.

[@metreurdelion]

oui ,en effet j'ai vu cette myriade à cette époque en 2011 l'hiver en février d'étourneaux devant chez moi.à échelle + petite disont des 3 à 4 milliers qui ont investis tous les arbres et faisait un boucan d'enfer ce ci depuis 'hiver et même en temps de jour ,j'ai vu cette masse noire depuis ts les arbres,je tremblais de peur derrière mes carreaux,quant d'un coup je me suis reprit et j'ai claqué dans mes mains,le tout c'est envolé en 3 fois et ont formé un bruit de tonnerre lors de leur décollage ,et une vitesse inimaginable de 80 km/h le tout en forme de spirale ------------------- pourquoi mon post car je viens d'en voir d'autre ce soir à 20.30 GMT Français le 1/08/2014 depuis l'est vers l'ouest en =>festival inter-celtique de Lorient disons 400 piaf

[@Jbburns1962]

Way to cool.

[@2be_2last]

"Sixty two thousand four hundred repetitions make one truth. Idiots!" Aldous Huxley

[@Starlingchaser]

Oh! It is...:--)

[@acarentz]

ありがとう！

[@petergandia5342]

I know this music... This is from the sad scenes in Lethal Weapon, right? XD Jk, love these formations.

[@junkgyre5301]

epic!

[@rick4257]

Amazing is right. Does anyone know how far apart are the birds? Are they spaced equal when in formation?

[@RexSikesMovieBeat]

i'd like the name and artist's of the music - i like and think it is perfect for children to ease into sleep - beautiful imagery accompanied by soothing sound. please - what is it

[@KimSenior]

Jan Gabarek, I'm not sure of the title of this piece, but I'm 90% sure it's him.

[@ohmmes1178]

C'est l'un des "phénomènes" les plus fascinants qui soient. Pourquoi restent-ils en groupe et pourquoi les formes que le groupe crée évoluent-elles comme cela ?... Ils se laissent porter par le vent ?... Ah, il y en a de temps en temps un qui sort de la nuée...

[@ohmmes1178]

Celui qui vole tout seul ne doit pas être un étourneau... ou alors un petit étourneau étourdi.

[@ohmmes1178]

... un étourneau anarchiste, peut-être ?... non, c'est un oiseau plus gros... et s'il essaye d'imiter les étourneaux, il n'est pas très doué...

[@bittasweetsymphony726]

the starlings should take out the hawk with their shear weight

[@themetalkazuya]

Subhanallah

[@epicxel]

looks like they dont know where they goin lol

[@gairatmatkarimov560]

peregrine falcon attaching them

[@Parkour13sang40]

Unité :)

[@BowWowPewPewCQ]

Nice. How do you estimate the number? I'm watching a mumuration every evening as they get ready to roost.

[@1956josema]

la música es de Jan Garbarek ??

[@eSdarkenrahl]

epic

[@leahcatherinemusic8704]

Hi Alexander! I'm wondering if I can use your footage for a little video I am putting together. I am just starting out, have no audience yet etc. Totally non-profit...just feel the lord leading me to put out a video on how we, as people, should be of one mind. These starling murmurations are an incredible example of what He is showing me right now. Would this be ok? thanks so much. Leah

[@PatMoire]

Beautiful moire patterns. Is the solitary bird a hawk they are trying to confuse?

[@mikedo6]

+Pat Moire I would say yes.

[@linedanzer4302]

@ 3:26 - 3:33 Just wow!!

[@amyhinsley3046]

What is the story about the one bird that is featured repeatedly not flying in the pattern? I am assuming it is a hawk or raptor of some sort.

[@benpress8884]

Awesome, but how do you know there were exactly 60K birds?

[@xandresglx]

I want to know the same :)

[@luke55664]

Maybe had we payed more attention in math class we'd know that answer. I'd suspect they measure the mass times density and guesstimate.

[@JamandTheHolograms]

It's a guess from looking at a sample population in the flock. Doesn't look like 60K.