Starlings Under Pressure

One evening in December 2006 a peregrine falcon flew out to find a meal in Torino, Italy.

His attention was draw by a large flock of European starlings approaching their roost at the old Fiat building.

Watch this one-minute video and you’ll see how the starlings evaded the peregrine.

I’m amazed the peregrine continued his attack after the starling flock turned into a solid ball!

Very cool.

(video by “greenkert” on YouTube)

6 thoughts on “Starlings Under Pressure

  1. Thank you for posting this! While driving on the Parkway last weeked, I noted a flock of ~ 100 birds that was moving with the same “amoeba-like” pattern, staying tightly knit and changing directions as one without any sign of a “lead bird”. I’d wondered what the flock was, and now I’m suspecting that I saw starlings!

  2. I like starlings, they’re very funny birds and very good singers…just need to pay attention for sounds starlings make – they can sing many phrases and they can learn sounds…it’s kinda amazing to watch starlings….
    I’ve taken photos of starling doing gymnastics:
    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/5_29_2010/P5298595_1.jpg

    same photo upside down:
    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/5_29_2010/P5298595_2.jpg

    More starlings:
    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/5_29_2010/P5298594_1.jpg
    http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss35/gbmax/BIRDS_4-16-2010/P4168043_1.jpg

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