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Roller-Feeding Roller-Feeding is a collective animal behaviour that emerges when a group of ground feeding birds encounter a large compact source of food. In this condition the birds become increasingly densely packed and change from their more usual loose flocking behaviour, to operate as a seemingly co-ordinated swarm.

Characteristics of flocking ground feeding
Birds ground feeding in a flock feed as individuals. Their foraging actions are not co-ordinated apart from adjusting the space between individuals. The flock may cover all the available feeding area. If any single bird sees danger and makes a warning cry, the whole flock takes flight in co-ordination.

Characteristics of roller-feeding
Birds ground feeding in a swarm that is showing roller-feeding behaviour co-ordinate their forraging. The individuals in a roller-feeding swarm are closer together than those in a ground feeding flock, and the swarm covers only part of the available feeding area. The individuals in the swarm face in the same direction and move forward in co-ordination. Individuals finding themselves at the back of the foraging swarm take off and land just in front of the leading individuals. They then form the new leaders.

The swarm has the form of a roller being pushed across the ground.

Social interactions
Both ground feeding flocks and roller-feeding swarms result in increased social interactions between individuals. These have been shown to reduce stress in individuals, and increase opportunities for mating.

Protection from preditors
and also allows them to keep watch for predators at the same time,

Comparison with other animals
Locusts swarm behaviour involves following the others. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=hpiuraQ-rfQC&pg=PA179&lpg=PA179&dq=locust+swarm+roller-feeding&source=bl&ots=Q_FG0Su5Pt&sig=qwllXn8SX90d1t1QBOwK-P7_ZSY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uPImVJDaFovKaLPAguAO&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=locust%20swarm%20roller-feeding&f=true

So a swarm of starlings use Roller-Feeding to pray on a swarm of locusts.korelov 1974

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247731/Bird-vane-Self-loving-starling-make-giant-shape-STARLING.html#ixzz3EXNXYA29 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247731/Bird-vane-Self-loving-starling-make-giant-shape-STARLING.html#ixzz3EXNEhW9l Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

http://beautyofbirds.com/europeanstarlings.html

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