To most, it sounded like a poetic aside. But for some in Italy’s capital, it felt more like a prophecy. Because what’s happening above Rome tonight isn’t normal.

Residents have grown used to winter’s aerial ballet—the dazzling murmurations of thousands of starlings swirling above piazzas and rooftops. But this year, something’s off.

Birds are flying lower than usual. Their movements are frantic, not fluid.

Locals say the flocks seem agitated—darting in jagged, chaotic paths, screaming at the skies long after sundown. Some have even described a low-frequency hum accompanying their movement—something not easily captured on video, but deeply felt by those beneath it. Read more below