Murmurations on the Moors
A murmuration at moon rise. Bodmin Moor, by Ben Spicer.
Every year as daylight begins to dwindle and the longer nights creep in, the starlings return to Bodmin Moor. With the approach of sunset, flocks consisting of hundreds to thousands of these speckled birds descend upon the conifers to roost, but not before putting on a dazzling display for anyone lucky enough to be watching.
What To Expect
Forming twisting and turning patterns in the sky, the spectacle of a starling murmuration is a magical sight. Even if they didn’t create such incredible, fluid shapes, the sheer volume of the flock is enough to leave you speechless as they fly overhead in search of their resting place. When standing directly beneath the flock the sound is incredibly loud for such small birds, with a rhythmic beating of wings becoming a cacophony of tweeting and whistling as they drop into the trees. The flowing patterns are created as one bird’s movements influence the seven birds around it, and so on and so on, creating a dancing effect through the sky.
A murmuration forming moving, twisting shapes over Bodmin Moor, photographed by Ben Spicer.
Where To See The Starlings
Our favourite spot to watch the murmurations is at Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor, around half an hour away by car from Port Isaac. There’s a car park at the foot of Rough Tor, and from there you can either walk out onto the moors, wander back up the road a bit or simply sit and wait for the show to start. You’ll probably spot lots of locals and visitors lining the road and hedgerow, waiting for the starlings to arrive. We love heading up onto Bodmin Moor earlier to stomp up to the tors, pay a visit to the wild horses and sometimes even hike to the top of Brown Willy, Cornwall’s highest point. We’d definitely suggest a wintery walk on the moor and watching the starlings, followed by a bite to eat and a drink beside the fire at one of the cosy Cornish pubs that we featured in our last article.
Brown Willy and Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor, at sunset.
The Best Time To See A Starling Murmuration in Cornwall
The starlings begin to murmurate from mid October and will do so until early February. Favourable conditions are light winds and clear skies, making the stunning shapes more visible. In January and December you can expect a more exciting display, as during these months more birds arrive from Europe to join the resident starlings. The flocks begin to arrive for roosting at dusk, just before sunset, which becomes earlier and earlier right up until the winter solstice, meaning you could watch them from as early as 4pm on the 21st December. The flocks still arrive to roost every night despite adverse weather conditions, but the best nights are still and dry after a sunny day, when the sky turns pink and the dark brown feathers glow against the backdrop.
Starlings returning to roost at sunset.
Why Starlings Flock and Murmurate
Starlings travel in large groups before roosting for safety, as it is more difficult for predators, such as sparrow hawks and other birds of prey, to single out any one bird. They also fly and roost in flocks for warmth - the body heat from thousands of starlings close together will raise the surrounding air by a few degrees! The colder the winter in Europe, the more birds that will join us in Cornwall. Starlings also use murmurations to share information about group feeding areas.
Taking time to slow down, connect with nature and breathe fresh air is one of the great benefits of time spent in Cornwall. Surrounded by natural beauty and wide open spaces, it’s hard not to feel relaxed and grounded. We encourage all our guests to experience the natural beauty on offer, from the coast surrounding Port Isaac to the rugged moorlands. If you’re hoping to watch the murmurations this year, click here to find last minute availability at Port Isaac Bay Holidays.