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Biology

The Role of Flocking Behavior in Predator Detection and Dilution

Quick fact

In a large flock, an individual bird can reduce its own vigilance time dramatically—from about 40% of its time to less than 10%—while the group as a whole still detects predators just as well, thanks to the many-eyes effect.

Why this is interesting

A flock of starlings wheels in the sky, moving as one—but why do they bother? Is there safety in numbers, or is it just chaos?