Starling dance in Israel

1. Every year, during the winter period, about one and a half billion birds fly over the territory of Israel during their migration from Eastern Europe. And this year was no exception. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

2. In the Negev desert, in the south of Israel, photographers managed to capture a stunning flight dance of starlings. They moved and turned in unison, admiring their amazing wordless communication and coordination. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

3. A flock of starlings flew to spend the night on the outskirts of the city of Rahat in southern Israel. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

4. “Flocks, which number from hundreds to thousands of birds, move across the sky in concert, in one direction. They fly together and abruptly change direction. It looks very beautiful,” says Meidad Goren, manager of the Ramat HaNegev Ornithological Center. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

5. Synchronized maneuvering of flocks of starlings really looks very spectacular. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

6. “The large populations of starlings that visit Israel during the winter season spend most of the day together foraging,” explains Meidad Goren. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

7. Most of the birds arrive from Eastern Europe or Western Asia, some of them stay for the winter in Israel, while others fly further south. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

8. According to an employee of the ornithological center, some flocks of starlings perform their twilight synchronous flights for an hour. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

9. Meidad Goren said that after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, in 1986, there was a sharp decline in the population of starlings. This decline has been visually felt in Israel during the migration season in the past two decades. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

10. Yossi Leshem, director of Israel's International Center for the Study of Bird Migration, said: "Israel is at the crossroads of three continents... Politically it's a disaster, but for migratory birds it's a paradise." (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

11. Amazing "dance" of starlings. (Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images).

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