From nature documentaries such as the BBC’s Blue Planet, we know that some fish species swim in huge shimmering shoals to confuse or deter predators.  Perhaps less well known, though, is that some birds such as dunlins do this too, in aerial displays called murmurations. In the UK, the autumnal and winter displays by starlings are the most common as birds gather in vast flocks near dusk, wheeling and soaring almost as one for a few minutes, before dropping down onto the roost. This behaviour can be seen in many towns and cities. However, some wading birds also exhibit this Continue Reading