18 Amazing Images of Flocks of Birds in Flight

Did you know that a flock of starlings in flight is called a murmuration? If you’ve ever seen one in action, you’ll know that the poetic term does justice to the mesmerising spectacle of the little birds drawing ever-changing patterns in the sky, as they fly back and forth by the thousands. Birds aren’t the only animals that flock together: many species of fish shoal together, and insects often swarm. There are various probable reasons for this sort of behaviour, although science hasn’t yet gotten to the bottom of the matter: it protects individual animals from predatory attacks, increases the success of foraging, and the collective movement might preserve energy. One thing we can be sure of is that it’s amazing to witness, and our photographers agree. We’ve collected some of their best shots for you.