In autumn and winter, these little balls of feathers on sticks fly in noisy flocks of normally between 5 and 30 (although flocks have been seen with up to 50 members) and can be seen raiding bushes for fruit and seeds. They are massively sociable and this chaotic little gang is an extended family of related birds. They feed together and, as the nights get colder, sleep together in a little squashed line.