The Scottish border town of Gretna Green has an influx of visitors, and not just the human kind.It seems locals and tourists alike just can't get enough of watching millions of starlings converge on the sky on sunset as the birds search for a safe place to roost.

Hundreds of spectators have been treated to the amazing sunset display, which has left them mesmerised by the huge flock's sweeping aerial acrobatics.

Dozens of people watch in awe as millions of starlings return to roost at dusk near the Scottish border town of Gretna Green
Drivers on the A74M, the main motorway between England and Scotland, have been stopping in their droves to witness the sight.
But the shear mass of birds is causing a distraction to commuters and truck drivers who are urged to take extra care when pulling over and parking to watch the display.

And while it may look like the birds are on a kamikazi mission, the logic behind their aerial acrobatics makes much more sense.
Every winter, the birds take to the skies after a long day spent feeding in nearby reed beds.
As they take flight during the last minutes of daylight, the starlings fly quick and fast in a bid to confuse waiting predators such as sparrowhawks and buzzards.

The swirl of starlings was clearly visible in the early evening sky

The sheer number of starlings appears to turn the sky black

The tiny birds must converge, fly and squawk, in an attempt to confuse their predators, reaching speeds of more than 20mph, with few if any crashes.

Scientists say the secret behind their amazing spatial awareness is that each starling tracks seven other birds enabling the group's cohesion.

The naturally occurring event is a spectacle which takes place only during the winter months.

A farmhouse can just be seen in the distance

The spectacular winter sight has mesmerised nature lovers

Starling numbers have halved in the last 25 years and they are now red-listed as an endangered species.

Experts say the starlings are a mix of British and European birds and will leave for Russia in February and March.
Nature lover Jon Tait, 34, said: 'It's amazing to see the natural world like this. The shapes and movements they make are beautiful - Hollywood special effects couldn't make it more breathtaking.

'Whenever I get the train I have to dive undercover at the station when they come because they leave a bit of a mess, but it's worth it to see them in the sky.

The starlings put on a performance every night as they come to roost in the area before leaving for Russia

苏格兰边境小镇格里特纳格林迎来大批“访客”，只不过它们不是人类。数百万只星椋鸟聚集在格里特纳格林镇的上空，寻找安全的栖息之地，在夕阳西下的映衬下显得格外显眼，令当地人和游客们目不暇接。

数百名观众目睹了这一黄昏奇景，大群星椋鸟变戏法的奇特飞行让他们看呆了。为了观看这一绝美景观，驾车行驶在英格兰和苏格兰之间的A74M主路上的人们不由地停下来。但是，雾般的这些鸟儿也给上班族和卡车司机带来麻烦，他们被要求停靠路边格外小心。

这些鸟儿看起来象在执行“神风”任务，它们的飞行逻辑使得队形妙不可言。每年冬天，星椋鸟会在附近的芦苇荡中觅食，一天活动之后，它们就会飞上天空。结伴飞行在夕阳的余晖中，在领头鸟的带领下快速而聚集飞行，以迷惑食雀鹰和秃鹰之类伺机等候的捕食者。

为了迷惑它们的天敌，这些小鸟一定是聚集一起，盘旋飞行，并发出叫声。它们的飞行速度超过每小时20英里，而且，很少发生碰撞。科学家称，星椋鸟令人惊讶的空间意识的秘密是为了保证聚集一起，每只鸟跟踪另外7只鸟。这种自然奇观只发生在冬天的几个月内。