This helps the group stay together and makes it easier for them to find a safe place to land. When flying in a flock, cranes will often take turns leading the way. Cranes typically live in wetland habitats so they can easily find food. These tall birds are known for their long necks and legs. What is interesting is that in MSFs encountered during the breeding season the number of individuals of following species was the same as usual, but there were fewer individuals of Davids Fulvettas (Figure. Cranes are a type of bird that often flies in flocks. Flocks of 1000 birds or less behave more rigidly as direction changes quickly spread across the entire flock.Ĭavagna says the theory may also apply to animals other than birds. Flocks were particularly rare in the months of April and May when birds were making nests, incubating, and nestling were not yet fledged. For example large flocks of around 10,000 birds tend to have softer outlines: one part may change direction, but the rest of the flock does not, leading to a wobbling appearance. Theyre also sometimes associated with female power and fertility. Owls are often associated with wisdom, knowledge, and insight. Doves are seen by many as symbols of peace or faith. Such “silent flocks” don’t exist in nature, yet could provide insight into why flocks behave the way they do, he says. White birds (doves, egrets, etc.) Like black birds, white birds are often associated with ghosts, holy spirits, and the afterlife.

“Collective behaviour requires that the system is able to propagate information successfully across the group,” says Cavagna. Cavagna and colleagues found their models showed up a range of medium-sized flocks that were too small for traditional density waves to spread, and too large for direction changes to spread, making any sort of coordination between members impossible.

Bird flocks