This time of year, many of us find ourselves spending time with family and friends. In a sense, humans tend to flock together during the holidays.
If you have spent any time at Cheyenne Bottoms recently, you might have noticed that many birds also flock together this time of year. Geese, ducks, and blackbirds are all known for their tendencies to flock. Masses of geese and ducks fly out of Cheyenne Bottoms to find nearby crop fields to feed in, and large amorphous flocks of blackbirds often look like plumes of smoke floating over the wetlands in the mornings and evenings.
During the winter months at Cheyenne Bottoms, the diversity of birds can be a bit sparse, especially in comparison to the Spring and Fall migration months; however, the sheer abundance of birds that often stay during the winter can be awesome. Depending on the year (and weather), from November through March, it is not uncommon for Cheyenne Bottoms to host more than 100,000 ducks and 150,000-200,000 geese of various species. And, throughout the winter, the Cheyenne Bottoms area can also see a couple million blackbirds. That’s right, I said millions. The all-time high count of Red-winged Blackbirds at Cheyenne Bottoms was more than 12 million in December of 1975.
So why are some birds so gregarious? Do they really like each other that much? While that could be an explanation, like any good dysfunctional family, the birds are really flocking together because they have to. Nature is brutal. Surviving nature is not easy. So, some animals have found that one strategy to surviving all the challenges nature can throw at it is through flocking behaviors. Namely, flocking allows more eyes to find food and detect predators.
Flocking for survival is probably the most logical reason why some birds flock together. Predators tend to get confused and overwhelmed when they encounter a flock of potential prey. Predators that attempt to go after a flock are typically only successful if they can separate one individual from the flock. Similarly, in what scientists have labeled the “selfish herd” principle, individuals use their position in a flock to survive by allowing others in the flock to perish. Individuals positioned in the middle of a flock are much more likely to survive a predator attack than ones on the outer edge of a flock. Animals are selfish when it comes to surviving.
One phenomenon that scientists are still trying to explain is how flocks are able to synchronize their movements. Flocking birds are notorious for moving in unison. Swarms of blackbirds exemplify this behavior. How birds are able to react and move in response to their neighbor’s movement is hard to explain. Scientists using computer models have identified three main requirements for flock synchronization: avoiding collisions with neighboring individuals, recognizing individuals of your own kind, and moving in the same direction as everyone else.
Ultimately, the giant flocks of birds at Cheyenne Bottoms are just one of the many seasonal attractions that we get to enjoy. If you get to enjoy some time with your flock over the holidays, take some time to venture out to Cheyenne Bottoms to see some of the other flocks. It is a great way to spend a winter’s morning or evening making memories together. Happy holidays from the Kansas Wetlands Education Center staff!