The reed forest protects starlings
The reed forests are located in the most sodden areas of the salt marshes. Foxes and other terrestrial predators won't go out there, as it would entail plodding through mud and water. Birds of prey are not a concern at night, as they rely heavily on their eyesight when hunting. Starlings can therefore spend the night dry and in safety between the reeds.
Starlings don't collide
One wonders how starlings are able to move so quickly in the sky, in such close formation, without colliding with each other. Starlings have no special sixth sense to make this possible. On the other hand, they are equipped with extraordinary reflexes that are almost 20-times faster than a human’s.
Black sun in the spring
Even though most people probably associate black sun with autumn, it also occurs during spring. Starlings make their way to the salt marshes and perform their dance against the evening sky from the beginning of March until mid-April. This is when they gather strength for the breeding season. Starlings do not only breed in Denmark, they also fly to other Baltic countries and Norway to breed. The breeding season lasts until August, after which the starlings return to the Wadden Sea