Amazing video footage depicts mass nocturnal bird migration in Baltic Sea

This extraordinary footage, filmed on a research vessel in the Baltic Sea in October 2015, uniquely depicts the marvel of mass songbird migration.

The birds, mainly Chaffinches and Bramblings, are migrating over the Baltic at night and are evidently attracted by the vessel's lights. Many hundreds — if not thousands — alight on the vessel for a rest.

Nocturnal migration is a well-known and routine phenomenon that ornithologists have studied via the likes of radar studies, overnight sound recording and early morning 'vis-migging' sessions for many years. For obvious reasons, such an event in full flow is seldom witnessed, let alone documented, and an experience that the vast majority will never have encountered. This wonderful video footage therefore offers a truly fascinating insight into the secret nocturnal lives of migrating songbirds.

Videos via the Clever & Smarty Youtube channel.