Flock (birds)

A flock of black-winged stilts in Baikka Beel, Bangladesh
Starlings flocking, a predator bird can be seen upper right

A flock is a gathering of individual birds to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also offers foraging benefits and protection from predators, although flocking can have costs for individual members.

Flock of birds in the field at Kangra ( Himachal Pradesh)

Flocks are often defined as groups consisting of individuals from the same species. However, mixed flocks consisting of two or more species are also common. Avian species that tend to flock together are typically similar in taxonomy and share morphological characteristics such as size and shape. Mixed flocks offer increased protection against predators, which is particularly important in closed habitats such as forests where early warning calls play a vital role in the early recognition of danger. The result is the formation of many mixed-species feeding flocks.

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