Wonderful post and photo! A friend recently said that Bill McKibben, in his new organization Third Act, is calling us to murmurate together. Isn't that a brilliant image of how we need to work together?!
Wonderful post and photo! A friend recently said that Bill McKibben, in his new organization Third Act, is calling us to murmurate together. Isn't that a brilliant image of how we need to work together?!
Is it worth noting that different kinds of birds murmurate in different ways, while some fly in formation, others circulate independently with their mates, and some fly alone?
... so, how does that translate to human affairs and political/cultural contingencies ... do we honor our differences, and freely share open skies ... do we lump it all together, roll over and make room for flying cars and drones ...?
Interesting thought, Kathleen. I like where you're going with this. As I'm unaware of birds murmurating in pairs or alone, I'm interested in some info about that. All the definitions I've seen refer to flocks or collections of birds.
Barbara J King on NPR writes about murmuration as "the phenomenon that results when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings fly in swooping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky." She goes on to say that "George F. Young and his colleagues investigated starlings' "remarkable ability to maintain cohesion as a group in highly uncertain environments and with limited, noisy information.""
One answer to your question may be that we work on our local levels. (Alas, this is what the ultra right wing movement conservatives are doing, ugh!) Barbara J King notes that Young and Co. figured out that "when uncertainty in sensing is present, interacting with six or seven neighbors optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort." Interesting, eh?!
Thank you Imogene - I appreciate the perspective. I'm not aware of birds murmuring in pairs or alone either - which is my point, I think (I absolutely do stand in awe of the birds that swoop together as one!) However, not all of us are starlings (though we all be made of star stuff) - so my question goes to who is part of the murmuring flock - all of us or some of us - and how does the analogy apply to those of us with different flight patterns and habits? Do we have room in the modern skies for all of us to live in harmony, or must we inevitably conflict and compete for room to fly free?
Thank you for the link - very interesting, yes!! I love hearing that "when uncertainty in sensing is present, interacting with six or seven neighbors optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort."
"(Alas, this is what the ultra right wing movement conservatives are doing, ugh!)"
Wow - did you see this, from the link you posted above?
"... They aren't welcomed by everyone. As the Cornell Lab of Ornithology puts it, starlings in the U.S. are "sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness." In this Scientific American piece, they're even called a "menace." ...:
"Starlings will bully other birds, kicking bluebirds, flickers and woodpeckers out of their nests. They can consume whole fields of wheat and transmit avian, animal and human diseases."
"People quickly realized what a pest these birds could be and tried to get rid of them. In Hartford, Connecticut, in 1914, residents tried to scare the birds away from their nests by fastening teddy bears to those trees and firing rockets through the branches. The White House tried speakers that emitted owl calls. Columns around the U.S. Capitol were outfitted with electrified wires. People have tried shooting, poisoning, trapping, repelling and frightening the birds, but the population still grows. They have plenty to eat and lots of habitat to live on—what else does a species need?
These birds are a prime example of why it can be so difficult to control an invasive species once it has become established—no matter how many you wipe out, there’s still plenty to take their place."
This is very sobering, Kathleen, especially your last line. Yes, it shows what we're up against, and why we need to unite asap!!! Check out Bill McKibben's new organization Third Act, where he's trying to start a new unifying movement for folks over 60.
I agree Imogene, sobering - and revealing ... interesting how the analogy applies in more than one way. I will check out Bill McKibben's new organization - thank you for the reference {I'm 72, so I qualify!) I can imagine it will be possible to apply the same qualities of the starling to generate coherence and in-flight integrity for a coalition of citizens who honor and support a more holistic view of life.
I do respect McKibben's efforts and accomplishments - however I felt it was contradictory to hear him say (when asked by one journalist) that he was not interested in exploring alternatives for home heating - as he preferred using wood chips in his wood stove as he had been doing for years ( I don't have time to search for that report - sometime in the last year or two).
Wonderful post and photo! A friend recently said that Bill McKibben, in his new organization Third Act, is calling us to murmurate together. Isn't that a brilliant image of how we need to work together?!
It is brilliant! I am a bird lover and I can’t think of a better analogy of hanging together to stay strong and united.
Yes, it is a beautiful image. Those birds stick together!
I’m in!
Is it worth noting that different kinds of birds murmurate in different ways, while some fly in formation, others circulate independently with their mates, and some fly alone?
... so, how does that translate to human affairs and political/cultural contingencies ... do we honor our differences, and freely share open skies ... do we lump it all together, roll over and make room for flying cars and drones ...?
Interesting thought, Kathleen. I like where you're going with this. As I'm unaware of birds murmurating in pairs or alone, I'm interested in some info about that. All the definitions I've seen refer to flocks or collections of birds.
Barbara J King on NPR writes about murmuration as "the phenomenon that results when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings fly in swooping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky." She goes on to say that "George F. Young and his colleagues investigated starlings' "remarkable ability to maintain cohesion as a group in highly uncertain environments and with limited, noisy information.""
One answer to your question may be that we work on our local levels. (Alas, this is what the ultra right wing movement conservatives are doing, ugh!) Barbara J King notes that Young and Co. figured out that "when uncertainty in sensing is present, interacting with six or seven neighbors optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort." Interesting, eh?!
https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2017/01/04/506400719/video-swooping-starlings-in-murmuration
Thank you Imogene - I appreciate the perspective. I'm not aware of birds murmuring in pairs or alone either - which is my point, I think (I absolutely do stand in awe of the birds that swoop together as one!) However, not all of us are starlings (though we all be made of star stuff) - so my question goes to who is part of the murmuring flock - all of us or some of us - and how does the analogy apply to those of us with different flight patterns and habits? Do we have room in the modern skies for all of us to live in harmony, or must we inevitably conflict and compete for room to fly free?
Thank you for the link - very interesting, yes!! I love hearing that "when uncertainty in sensing is present, interacting with six or seven neighbors optimizes the balance between group cohesiveness and individual effort."
So good to be with all you neighbors!!
"(Alas, this is what the ultra right wing movement conservatives are doing, ugh!)"
Wow - did you see this, from the link you posted above?
"... They aren't welcomed by everyone. As the Cornell Lab of Ornithology puts it, starlings in the U.S. are "sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness." In this Scientific American piece, they're even called a "menace." ...:
"Starlings will bully other birds, kicking bluebirds, flickers and woodpeckers out of their nests. They can consume whole fields of wheat and transmit avian, animal and human diseases."
"People quickly realized what a pest these birds could be and tried to get rid of them. In Hartford, Connecticut, in 1914, residents tried to scare the birds away from their nests by fastening teddy bears to those trees and firing rockets through the branches. The White House tried speakers that emitted owl calls. Columns around the U.S. Capitol were outfitted with electrified wires. People have tried shooting, poisoning, trapping, repelling and frightening the birds, but the population still grows. They have plenty to eat and lots of habitat to live on—what else does a species need?
These birds are a prime example of why it can be so difficult to control an invasive species once it has become established—no matter how many you wipe out, there’s still plenty to take their place."
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-invasive-species-we-can-blame-on-shakespeare-95506437/
... so, is this where it's going - birds that flock together Glock together ...?
This is very sobering, Kathleen, especially your last line. Yes, it shows what we're up against, and why we need to unite asap!!! Check out Bill McKibben's new organization Third Act, where he's trying to start a new unifying movement for folks over 60.
I agree Imogene, sobering - and revealing ... interesting how the analogy applies in more than one way. I will check out Bill McKibben's new organization - thank you for the reference {I'm 72, so I qualify!) I can imagine it will be possible to apply the same qualities of the starling to generate coherence and in-flight integrity for a coalition of citizens who honor and support a more holistic view of life.
I do respect McKibben's efforts and accomplishments - however I felt it was contradictory to hear him say (when asked by one journalist) that he was not interested in exploring alternatives for home heating - as he preferred using wood chips in his wood stove as he had been doing for years ( I don't have time to search for that report - sometime in the last year or two).
Blessings, and peace to you!!