From the Latin “murmurare,” meaning “to murmur,” “murmuration” is a slightly misleading word. You might think of a murmur as a quiet rustling or a whispered undertone. A murmuration, when it’s done by people, might fit that description. But a murmuration is more often applied to starlings, a small, stocky bird found all over the world. They are known for their complex vocalizations (called murmurations) and for swooping through the air in large, twisting flocks (also called murmurations). Starlings are so notorious for their chattering (another collective noun sometimes applied to a group of them) that “murmuration” has been in use for the birds since the 15th century.