Starling murmurations

A murmuration of starlings coming in to roost, The Wildlife Trusts

Where to see a murmuration of starlings

During the winter months, large numbers of starlings visit Britain from the continent, seeking out the relative warmth of our island climate. As dusk arrives, the starlings set off for their communal roost in one of the most staggering natural spectacles of all. Flocks arrive from all directions, gathering in the skies above their roost sites. As the numbers reach into the tens and hundreds of thousands, the ‘murmurations’ (the name for a flying flock of starlings) take on incredible shapes in the sky, contracting and expanding as one flock merges into another, and taking on a life of their own; swirling back and forth in ever more complex and beautiful patterns.

As the numbers reach their peak and the last of the light fades, the birds suddenly decide the time is right, as if by a secret signal. They funnel down into the reeds in one last whoosh of wings, and the show’s over. The birds settle down to sleep and it’s time for you to head home.

Starlings coming in to roost against an orange sunset, The Wildlife Trusts

Starling murmuration heading to roost at sunset, The Wildlife Trusts

Starling perched at a feeder, The Wildlife Trusts

Where to go

Although situated in the heart of urban Teesside if you visit Tees Valley Wildlife Trust’s Portrack Marsh at dusk in winter there is a chance you might see the marvellous sight of hundreds of starlings going to roost in the reedbeds. Walk along the river and you may see the flocks coming in from all directions swirling and turning before they land in the reeds. Elsewhere, try:

Cambridgeshire, Godmanchester
Cheshire, Marbury Reedbed
Devon, Exe Reedbeds
Essex, Thameside Nature Discovery Park
Hampshire, Blashford Lakes and Fishlake Meadows
Lancashire, Brockholes
Lincolnshire, Far Ings
Nottinghamshire, Besthorpe
Northamptonshire, Titchmarsh, Summer Leys and Nene Wetlands
Northumberland, East Chevington
Suffolk, Redgrave and Lopham Fen and Lackford Lakes
Wales, Pembrokeshire Teifi Marshes
Warwickshire, Brandon Marsh
Yorkshire, Potteric Carr
Yorkshire, Staveley Nature Reserve
Yorkshire, Ripon City Wetlands

How to do it

Wrap up warm. Really warm. It can get surprisingly chilly standing waiting by a wintery reedbed, but it will be worth it, we promise. Arrive at least half an hour before the sun goes down, or even a bit earlier, and find a good vantage point where you can see both the roost site and the sky above. After you’ve had your fill and the last bird has dropped in to go to sleep, you can go back to that warm fire and cosy home. You may feel the cold, but we challenge you not to feel warm inside after a wondrous murmuration.

If you can't get to these places

Even if your local doesn’t have a big starling roost on one of their reserves, they can probably advise you on the best places to look locally. You don’t need to be in the countryside to experience a murmuration: one of the most sensational roosts takes place over the Brighton seafront, where the starlings roost under the pier. Or just google ‘starling murmuration’ and you will find that you’re not alone in being entranced by the polymorphous swirl of roosting starlings: YouTube is alive with murmuration videos. Try this one for starters!