Thousands of Quelea birds fly as one in beautiful murmuration Posted by Tsoku Maela on 11 November 2022 It’s something of a spectacle watching birds flock together, but that is nothing compared to a murmuration. This special kind of flock is named for the sound of a low murmur it makes from thousands of wingbeats and soft flight calls. As artistically harmonious as it looks, this coordinated dance might be a defence mechanism more than a performance. Murmurations often form an hour before sunset in most seasons when the birds are near where they’ll sleep. The more birds in the flock, the lower the risk to any one bird of being the one that gets caught by a predator. A mass of whirling, swirling birds make it hard to focus on a single target. While the Quelea bird is mostly found in eastern Africa specifically southern Sudan, eastern South Sudan, and Ethiopia, there have been some sightings of the small passerine birds swirling around at The Kruger National Park recently. You can watch this spectacular murmuration in the video below. Follow us on social media for more travel news, inspiration, and guides. You can also tag us to be featured. TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter ALSO READ: Flock to Kruger in early 2023 for an incredible birding weekend Related Posts Debate arises as orcas attack boats: Aggression or social learning? 29 May 2023 Since 2020, there has been a growing number of encounters between orcas, also known as... read more Leopard’s leisurely stroll through South African bush lodge 26 May 2023 A close encounter with a Leopard at avbush lodge was captured on camera and shared... read more Cornered crocodile defends itself against 5 lions in Greater Kruger 22 May 2023 A Nile crocodile thought that a pride of lions waterbuck kill was an easy meal... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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