How do schools of fish and flocks of birds all have such in-sync movements? How do they know which way the others are going to turn, and which speed to move?

Question

This is something I’ve always wondered. They always look so synchronized as if they can read each other’s mind! I’d love an explanation for this.

In: 91

Answer 1

They sense disturbances in the force. No really. Fish have a literal extra sensory organ on the side of their body called the ‘lateral line’ which makes them feel movement and tiny vibrations and waves and stuff. They feel the ebb and flow of the school and follow it instinctively. That’s how you have a relatively retarded animal like a fish show emergent (seemingly) complex behaviours.

Birds on the other hand have complex formations and rules that they follow in order to function as a flock. I am not sure if the behaviour is learned or somewhat instinctual or somewhere in between, or if we (humanity) have an answer to this yet. We need like a birdologist for that. (I know it’s an ornithologist, am literally greek, let me yoke)