This strange curtain-like pattern created by birds flying in formation in the sky baffled social media users who feared it might be an early sign of an oncoming disaster.

The puzzling sight was captured above the city of Panjin, in China’s north-eastern Liaoning Province, on 6th December.

Phone footage shows the hundreds of birds flying so densely packed that it seemed as if a massive curtain was being drawn over the sky.

Locals suggested that these birds seemed to migrate from the north, covering the sky in large numbers. Some claimed they were wild ducks that lived in the area.

And many users on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, questioned whether the birds’ odd behaviour could be pointing to a natural disaster.

One user titled ‘Spanking’ commented: “In the past few days, there have been rumours a big earthquake will soon happen.”

User ‘glass half full’ wrote: “Run quickly from that area, there’s going to be an earthquake.”

And ‘xfgnejxiedd8833fdnd’ said: “Recently, there have been rumours about an earthquake in Pulandian [District]. Is it related to this phenomenon?”

According to experts, when birds fly in strange formations, it is typically aimed towards conserving energy.

Especially during migration, bird flocks tend to adopt various strategies to reduce energy consumption.

Forming a net-like pattern can decrease collisions and waste among the flock, making the entire group fly more efficiently.

Additionally, this formation helps birds easily spot food and predators, enhancing their survival rate.