Every winter, the skies above Rome transform into a breathtaking performance that has fascinated travelers for generations. Thousands upon thousands of starlings gather in vast flocks, creating swirling, ever-changing patterns that ripple across the evening sky. Known as murmurations, these aerial ballets are both a natural wonder and a practical challenge for the city that hosts them.

Tourists from around the world arrive to witness the phenomenon, often standing in awe as the birds paint fluid shapes over piazzas, bridges, and rooftops. But for locals, the spectacle brings more complicated feelings.

Alongside beauty comes inconvenience—droppings, noise, and disruption—that remind Romans that nature’s marvels are not always easy to live with.