The Death Star-ling: Birds form forbidding black orb in sky as solo sparrowhawk sweeps in for attack

An amateur photogrpaher has captured the incredible moment a murmation of starlings formed an ominous dark sphere resembling the Death Star in the evening sky - and a lone sparrowhawk sweeping in for attack.

David Smith, 64, was lucky enough to snap the flock grouped together like the Empire's dreaded planet-destroying space station from the Star Wars trilogy during a recent trip to a wildlife reserve above Storton's Pits, Northants. 

He snapped the beautiful image on November 26 at around 4:15pm after waiting for an hour for the show to start.  

David Smith, 64, snapped the beautiful image during a trip to  Storton's Pits, a nature reserve in Northampton, Northants

Murmurations are large groups of starlings that flock together across the sky, usually at dawn or sunset- often creating beautiful shapes. 

Each can contain up to 100,000 starlings from a single roost as thousands of starlings gather and set off seeking warmer climates. 

It is not precisely known why starlings murmurate but experts believe it may be for protection or to sign-post a roost.

Another stunning murmuration of starlings took the shape of a giant heart in Bigbury-on-sea, Devon.

Annika, 40, and Martin Connolly, 44, captured the romantic image and said they estimated that thousands of starlings were forming the murmuration. 

Another astonishing video has captured a flock of starlings as they formed the image of a heart in the sky during a sunset in Bigbury-on-sea, Devon

Annika said: 'It was wonderful to see, it was mesmerising. We just sat there and wanted to keep watching because it's just such a spectacle to watch.'     

Another murmuration of starlings took the breathtaking form of a giant bird soaring across the horizon in Spain.

Daniel Biber, 53, captured the astonishing snap after observing thousands of birds and scouting locations across Costa Brava in northeastern Spain over a four-day period. 

Another murmuration of starlings took the breathtaking form of a giant bird soaring across the horizon in Spain

 In his photograph, the starlings merged into the shape of a giant bird moments before they were targetted by a predator and rushed out of the formation.

The unique snap went on to earn Mr Biber the top prize in an international photography competition, but the photographer said he only realised his luck once he reviewed the photographs on his computer.

Another amateur photographer managed to capture the moment thousands of starlings flocked together to form the image of the Loch Ness Monster emerging from the sea in Brighton.  

Daniel Biber, 53, captured the astonishing snap after observing thousands of birds and scouting locations across Costa Brava in northeastern Spain over a four-day period

Bill Brooks, 65, captured the remarkable moment thousands of starlings flocked together to form the image of the Loch Ness Monster emerging from the sea in Brighton

  Bill Brooks, 65  who decided to make a detour to Brighton Palace Pier after attending a photography course in East Sussex said he knew he only had about a 'ten or 15 minute slot before sunset' when the starlings would come in to roost under the pier and could murmurate.  
 Experts believe murmurations are formed partly for safety reasons so it is harder for a predator to target one bird. 

Starlings also gather to keep warm at night and exchange information about feeding areas.

The best time to see a murmuration is in the early evening.  

THE MYSTERY OF MURMURATIONS

Little is known about why murmurations occur, although it has been suggested that the displays help starlings by confusing predators.

Little is known about why murmurations occur, although it has been suggested that the displays help starlings by confusing predators.

Each bird mimics the movement of its neighbour, which ripples out to the whole flock.

Each bird mimics the movement of its neighbour, which ripples out to the whole flock.

In 2014, a research team from Warwick discovered that it is the areas of light and dark in the flocks that allow the starlings to fly so close together.

In 2014, a research team from Warwick discovered that it is the areas of light and dark in the flocks that allow the starlings to fly so close together.

The pattern of light and dark, formed as the birds attempt to achieve the necessary density, is what provides vital information to individual birds within the flock.

The pattern of light and dark, formed as the birds attempt to achieve the necessary density, is what provides vital information to individual birds within the flock.

Pictured: An astonishing murmuration of starlings fly close to power lines at sunset near Gretna on the Scottish borders

Starlings are smaller than blackbirds, with a short tail, pointed head and triangular wings.

Starlings are smaller than blackbirds, with a short tail, pointed head and triangular wings.

From a distance they appear black, but close-up they are very glossy with a sheen of purples and greens.

From a distance they appear black, but close-up they are very glossy with a sheen of purples and greens.

Even though the species remains one of the most common garden birds, its decline elsewhere makes it a red list species as a bird of high conservation concern.

Even though the species remains one of the most common garden birds, its decline elsewhere makes it a red list species as a bird of high conservation concern.

Source: RSPB 

Source: RSPB