Abstract
The organized aerial manoeuvres of birds in “V” and “J” flock echelons have always captivated onlookers and several of these aspects are still a matter of ongoing research. However, we could not find any published evidence or report on echeloning in a roosting flock of birds in high wind conditions. Here, we provide first evidence of an echelon in a roosting flock of the Eurasian oystercatcher ( Haematopus ostralegus ostralegus ) at the onset of Storm Malik in Scotland on the morning of the 29 th of January 2022, under ~ 11 ms −1 winds. This observation opens-up several new research questions on if, how, and why birds position themselves in a flock while roosting in high winds.