Starlings in the sky: Migratory birds mesmerise Delhi residents
MURMURATIONS As they cross Delhi on their way back home, rosy starlings put up a grand show in the Capital’s skyline
NEW DELHI: Winter is long gone and the mercury has been steadily rising. It is that time of the year again when thousands of rosy starlings – a migratory bird from Europe and central Asia – return home after their migratory stints across India.
But on their way back, these winged guests are putting up amazing displays of aerobatics over the city’s skyline, leaving Delhiites mesmerised.
Known as ‘murmuration’, these can be spotted in the sky in open spaces like India Gate, Gymkhana Club, Lodhi Garden and Buddha Jayanti Park among others.
“It is a great sight to see thousands of starlings taking to the sky en masse just before sunset and create all sorts of designs. Sometimes they split in smaller flocks only to regroup again create a different pattern that changes before you can take a good photo,” said Jasjeev Singh, a resident of Sundar Nagar who was seen watching the murmuration at Lodhi Garden.
Rosy starlings start arriving in northwest India around midJuly and August and then gradually spread to other parts including south India.
They return to central Asia and Europe during March and April.
“Even though murmuration can be also seen among other birds such as the budgerigar – popularly known as ‘love birds’ among pet lovers – but the reasons are different from the rosy starling. While murmuration among budgerigars is mostly seen as a defence mechanism to evade predatory birds, murmuration among starlings is mainly a social gathering before they roost for the night,” said Pankaj Gupta, a birder from the Delhi Bird Foundation.
Birders said that some starling murmurations can also be seen in September in the coun- try, when the birds are settling down after their arrival to the country.
But murmurations during this time of the year are more distinct and pronounced as the birds form larger flocks on their return journey. In March and April, murmurations can be seen across Delhi.
“You can spot them in any part of the city where there are old trees and you have an open sky to spot them as they fly in flocks. Some of the best sightings could be done near India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan just before sunset,” said Nikhil Devasar, founder of the birding group Delhibird.
Even though it remains a mystery for experts how these birds form such intricate patterns while flying at breakneck speed without colliding, some experts suggest that starlings coordinate their movements with their seven nearest neighbours.
A massive flock of birds that shape-shifts in the sky as if it were one swirling liquid mass creating dazzling patterns. Mystery remains as to why they don’t collide mid-air
Gymkhana Club, Lodhi Garden, India Gate and Buddha Jayanti Park among other places
During dusk when the birds gather in flocks to roost. Smaller flocks could be seen during the day
Rosy starlings come to India from Europe and central Asia around mid-july and August and leave by March-april
In starlings, murmuration is thought to be a social gathering before they roost for the night. But birds like Budgerigars often perform murmuration to evade predators