Starling Murmurations

[Vera]

I REALLY HATE Starlings... video is awesome all the same

Indeed, revolting birds. And a blight on the East Coast, as are Sparrows.

But watching the patterns they form IS amazing.

Noooo, sparrows are cute. And tiny. And they stay home for the winter. It's so funny, waking up very early after it's been snowing, in this very special type of quiet that snow brings... and then the sparrows wake up, too, and all hell breaks loose, so to speak

[KichigaiNeko]

[The Grand Nudger]

Take a look at the "boids" simulation to see how few "commands" are required to achieve this.....beautiful, absolutely, complicated...almost certainly not.

[Rayaan]

I thought so, too. The birds are probably just following some simple algorithms/instructions built into their heads. That's why they are able to create these patterns.

That is something really clever, though, and absolutely beautiful as well.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Hardly presumptuous my dear.

Arrogant? Uppish? Impertinent?

BTW, did you guys know that the starling was introduced to the States around 1890, so that all the birds ever mentioned in the works of Shakespeare could be found in the States? True story. (And I know it from QI and Stephen Fry, where I draw most of my knowledge from)

That was pigeons wasn't it?

EDIT: no, sorry, I was completely off the mark.

On another point, starlings in the UK (native starlings) have hit a 30 year low, meaning the magnificent displays are actually becomming rarer (from native species).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17523815

[Aroura]

Well, hate them or not, that was really neat to watch. Since the west coast isn't plagued by them (we get some issues near the coast sometimes), I don't have any negative feelings about starlings, so I thought the video was really amazing!

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Well, hate them or not, that was really neat to watch. Since the west coast isn't plagued by them (we get some issues near the coast sometimes), I don't have any negative feelings about starlings, so I thought the video was really amazing!

People's dislike of them plaguing cities is one of the reasons why their numbers here in the UK have declined so massively.

Shame, really.

[Vera]

That was pigeons wasn't it?

Nope, starlings. If I were to guess, pigeons have always been there. Or if they have been introduced by humans, it wasn't because of Shakespeare.

Speaking of birds and QI, did you know that the dodo became extinct because it wasn't afraid of people when they arrived, because up till that moment there had been no ground predators in Mauritius. Poor little guys

10:30 - on how dodos became extinct
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk8vhG8mnFQ

[Fidel_Castronaut]

That was pigeons wasn't it?

Nope, starlings. If I were to guess, pigeons have always been there. Or if they have been introduced by humans, it wasn't because of Shakespeare.

Speaking of birds and QI, did you know that the dodo became extinct because it wasn't afraid of people when they arrived, because up till that moment there had been no ground predators in Mauritius. Poor little guys

10:30 - on how dodos became extinct
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk8vhG8mnFQ

I do love QI. Not sure how I feel about the dodo though. Having seen a skeleton at the pit rivers in Oxford numerous times, they look kind of ugly...and useless, lol

(I also acknowledged the farming point, you were right :-) )

[Vera]

(I also acknowledged the farming point, you were right :-) )

Yeah, I must have been typing my response for quite some time (and doing other stuff simultaneously), so I missed your edit

I love QI with a passion, always makes me feel better.

Haven't seen a dodo skeleton, but they seem cute in pictures. Not that cuteness is everything Speaking of dodos (and 'cause I'm on a video posting spree, won't do it tomorrow, promise!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckb3ZgXAYcQ