Swooping, pivoting and soaring in concert, starlings from Russia and east Europe winter in the Holy Land. They create "murmurations" - dark, shifting shapes that look like dancing clouds. As the sun sets, the starlings begin their dazzling display, twisting and turning at high speed, creating dramatic, sweeping patterns in the southern Israel sky.
They do it to help each other find food and to fend off predators.
By grouping together, the starlings not only find safety in numbers but their changing movements and shifting collective shape confuse their would-be attackers.
Until 20 years ago, starlings came to Israel in their millions, but their numbers have dropped to flocks of between a few tens of thousands to a few hundred thousand, though researchers have not yet identified the reason for the decline.
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