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Startled birds leaving in a bunch:
All you need is one bird to spot a danger and the whole flock's in the air.
Flocking birds have pretty well 360 degree vision. - Eyes on the side of the head. (compare the front-mounted eyes of owls and other predators which need binocular vision for asccurate targetting)
This is an evolutionary advantage because it is a survival device.
It lets the bird look out for predators and the bird can also detect the warning signals of other individuals taking flight.
It is also a navigational aid - stops mid air collisions.
And yes 360 degrees means they can see the birds behind them too.
No telepathy required.
It's that simple.
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