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The Starling
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Flock: 500–1.5M
Wingspan: 31–44cm
Starlings murmurate to confuse aerial predators. Each bird tracks just 6–7 nearest neighbors regardless of distance.
Cavagna et al. (2010) — PNASBird Murmurations
Bird murmurations are a classic example of emergent behavior; complex collective patterns arise from individual birds acting in response to a limited number of stimuli from their immediate neighbors. In doing so, they make a fluid defense that confuses predators, showing how decentralized signaling can contribute to the survival of the whole population.
Boids Algorithm
Craig Reynolds' 1986 algorithm with three rules:
- Separation: Avoid crowding neighbors
- Alignment: Match neighbors' direction
- Cohesion: Move toward group center
Starlings use topological neighborhoods, tracking the 6-7 nearest neighbors regardless of distance.
How It Works
GPU-accelerated simulation running entirely in your browser:
- GPU Compute: Bird positions/velocities updated via shaders
- Instanced Rendering: All birds drawn in one draw call
- Post-processing: Depth of field for cinematic effect