SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Dozens of Bay Area residents are flocking to a small strip mall in San Rafael, anchored by a Michael's and a Macy's, to see a curious scientific phenomenon: Thousands upon thousands of starlings are murmurating in the skies each evening at dusk.For the uninitiated: A murmuration is to starlings as a gaggle is to geese.
Technically, the term murmuration refers to the bizarre-looking feat when hundreds, sometimes thousands, of starlings fly in swooping, intricately coordinated patterns through the sky.
As for what it looks like? A massive swarm of shape-shifting black birds flying in unison among the clouds. WATCH: Murmuration of starlings react as predators attackIn this case, the starlings have been doing their thing.