Survival of the Most Adept

• Protection in numbersgannet flock image by Thor from Fotolia.com
  
  Studies show that birds learn to fly in flocks over time, gaining speed and agility. Mastering the quick movements and keeping up with the group takes practice, and stragglers are the most vulnerable to predator attacks. Many scientists believe this is the strength of the group dynamic; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. While one bird may fall victim, most of the group is safe.
  
  

Eluding Predators

• Sticking togetherMigrating cranes in sunrise, HaHula, Israel image by Oren Sarid from Fotolia.com
  
  Flocks create tight formations and move swiftly to avoid predators. When dunlins turn quickly they reveal their underparts, a lighter plumage, contrasting with the darker plumage of their upperparts. This creates a flashing effect, distracting and startling predators. Claudio Carere, an Italian ornithologist, makes observations about starling flocks. Falcons lurk and attack starlings as they approach the roosts. "They compact and decompact, split and merge, form 'terror waves,'" moving away from a falcon in a split second. Predators may also get hurt diving into a large group that is moving continuously in different directions.
  
  

Socialization & Hierarchy

• Follow the leaderflamingo flock image by Kushnirov Avraham from Fotolia.com
  
  Studies show that flocks work best and are tranquil when every bird knows its place, humbly flying in unison. A recent U.K. study observed leadership in pigeon flocks. Dora Biro of the University of Oxford and her colleagues put GPS backpacks on the pigeons to ascertain which pigeon was leading the group. The study revealed that some birds had more birds following them, and these birds flew closer to the front. "You can actually rank birds in terms of the influence that they have on others within the group," Biro says.
  
  

Aerodynamic Factors & Energy Conservation

• Built for flightbirds image by Erg??n ?--zsoy from Fotolia.com
  
  A well-organized flock is efficient, taking advantage of the increased aerodynamic factors of group flight versus individual flight. Migratory configurations not only offer safety in numbers, but also optimize flight and conserve energy. "V" formations, for example, offer decreased drag. It is possible this decrease in fatigue increases chances of survival.
  
  

Finding Food

• Ready to divebirds image by Amjad Shihab from Fotolia.com
  
  Increased numbers offer better chances of finding food. Studies show that individual birds learn from each other, following other birds to find food. This is seen in various species, such as ospreys and swallows.
  
  

Multispecies flocks

• Birds of a featherbirds image by JASON WINTER from Fotolia.com
  
  Multispecies flocks normally include small groups of various species. It offers the same safety in numbers, but also allows for shared resources among species. Considering the decrease in natural habitat for all wildlife due to human encroachment, it is a necessary survival tactic.
  
  

Still a Mystery

• Mysteries of nature?'???¦Ì??¡ä image by ??-?????2????????'??" from Fotolia.com
  
  How bird flocks move so quickly remains a mystery, as well as how they coordinate such synchronized, diverse, abrupt and complicated movements. Some say it's by watching neighbors and following along, but the reaction is so quick it seems there is something else going on. Scientists in the early 1900s hypothesized telepathy or some type of group soul. Frank Heppner also noticed that Roman starlings will swirl, making grand swooping motions before settling down in their nests. Wouldn't this attract predators? So despite years of research and observation, birds' motivations continually elude us, much as they elude their predators.