Winter is the best time of year in the UK to see the spectacle of birds in their hundreds, and sometimes even in their thousands. Fortunately, no matter where you are in the country, from Brighton on the south coast to the Montrose Basin in Scotland, you\u2019re never too far from finding a location where you can enjoy the dramatic scene of birds flocking together en masse.<\/p>\n

How do birds know when and where to migrate?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>
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To give you the best chance of witnessing one of Great Britain\u2019s finest nature shows, we\u2019ve put together some of the best spots across the country to see the sky full of birds as they return to roost.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Starling murmurations<\/h3>\n<\/div>
There\u2019s nothing quite like watching a huge swirling flock of starlings<\/a><\/strong> as they gather to roost at sunset. They twist and turn in perfect synchrony, a spectacular display of ever-changing shapes against a canvas of orange sky, dazzling and confusing the predators unavoidably drawn to the airborne buffet. Suddenly the first birds descend, triggered by some unseen signal, and the whole flock quickly follows into the communal roost site.<\/p>\n
Starlings tend to use the same roosts every year, which can be in the middle of the city or a long way from just about anything. These spectacular starling murmurations can number well over a million birds, but most roosts are a lot smaller.<\/p>\n
The largest murmurations in the UK are on the Somerset levels, specifically over Shapwick Heath NNR<\/a> and Ham Wall RSPB<\/a>. This enormous gathering reached 6 million birds in 1999 and is one of the greatest natural sights in Britain.<\/p>\n
Other excellent locations for big starling murmurations are Brighton Pier, Gretna Green, Leighton Moss RSPB<\/a>,\u00a0Aberystwyth (pictured at the top of the page) and Otmoor RSPB<\/a> reserve. Calm, clear evenings are best as the action tends to last longer than it does on dull days.<\/p>\n
Of course, there are always more places in the UK where you can try your luck to see a murmuration. Take a look at our guide to the best places to see roosting starlings<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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Corvid roosts<\/h3>\n<\/div> Watching a load of crows might not sound that appealing, but there are some huge winter rookeries around that have to be seen to be believed.<\/p>\n