“Skirr” originated from the now-obsolete use of the verb “scour,” to mean “move hastily.” The idea of skirring may conjure up images of birds hurriedly taking to the air in a flock; however, birds aren’t the only animals to move in flocks. Many others, including sheep, zebras, and fish use flocking behaviors to serve a protective purpose. Skirring en masse can prevent predatory attacks by making it harder to identify and attack a single target.