Sort sol: The Sky's Amazing Blackout!

Sort sol is a super cool event that happens in a special place in Denmark. It's when millions of tiny birds called starlings get together. They fly in huge groups, called murmurations, and swirl around in the sky. They move so much that they look like a giant, moving shadow. This happens right before they go to sleep for the night. It's like a giant bird party in the sky!

This amazing bird dance happens in the marshy lands of southwestern Denmark, near towns called Tønder and Ribe. It's most spectacular in the spring and autumn. That's when the starlings are traveling. They are going from their warm winter homes to their cooler summer homes, or the other way around. They gather just after the sun starts to set, painting the sky with their incredible movements.

The starlings move together so perfectly, it looks like a dance or a ballet. Sometimes, there are so many birds, up to a million, that they can actually block out the sunset! That's why it's called 'Sort sol,' which means 'black sun' in Danish. It's like the sky turns black for a few minutes because of all the birds flying together. Wow!

These starlings have a secret weapon! If a bigger bird, like a hawk, tries to attack them, the starlings work together. They might even poop or vomit on the attacker! It sounds yucky, but it can make the attacker's feathers sticky and heavy, making it hard for them to fly. It's a clever way for them to protect their whole group.