Starling murmurations

This large format print story was part of the October 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine.

The beauty and complexity of the group displays of starlings is showcased on the photo by Nick Dunlop and explained through graphics. Often escaping a predator attack, these birds can communicate and mimic each other without a leader, passing information across the flock at lightning speed.

The interactive online version (which may be behind a paywall) was a collaboration with National Geographic’s Director of Digital Storytelling Kennedy Elliott. The digital story includes spectacular videos of murmurations captured by Nick Dunlop and a simulation I created to take you step by step through the surprisingly purposeful escape patterns.