One of the most impressive phenomena that can be seen in nature is the one in which masses of starling birds fly together so closely that they look like black clouds floating in the sky that change directions and shapes in wonderful uniformity.
Such a flock was photographed just above the sky of Nahal Tavor, and according to Dotan Rotem, an open space ecologist at the Nature and Parks Authority, the reason why starlings perform these harmonic movements is not known with certainty. "There are several hypotheses, some of which have been supported by studies," he says. "One is that it's a way of transferring information between individuals about food sources, the other is evading potential predators like birds of prey, which have trouble focusing on a single target. Beyond that, let your imagination fly – and enjoy."
The starlings above the sky of Nahal Tavor, photo: Rinat Russo - Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Dotan added that the common starling is a beautiful bird that migrates to Israel to spend the colder months of the year. Hundreds of thousands of starlings come to Israel every year. Some of these birds of prey are active at dusk, which is when starlings congregate.
The flock of starlings, photo: Rinat Russo - Israel Nature and Parks Authority
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