History Main / ForebodingFleeingFlock

* ''Young Samson & Goliath'' episode "Cold Wind From Venus". As Samson and Goliath ride their motorbike they notice flocks of birds and herds of deer fleeing in the other direction. This is due to two robots from Venus imposing "environmental control" over the area -- i.e. reducing the air temperature to below zero.

* In the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/{{Dinosaur}}'', a young ''Parasaurolophus'' chases a flying lizard into a thicket when he realizes he's not alone in there. He bolts out, drawing the attention of all the other dinosaurs right before a hungry ''Carnotaurus'' comes charging out.

** Another interpretation is that they were drawn to the lights of the advancing tripods, which were shining over the hill.

* Taken UpToEleven in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11298331/1/A-different-weasel-makes-a-difference A different weasel makes a difference,]]'' where ''every single animal North of the Wall'' (from birds and rabbits to direwolves, bears, and mammoths) flees South shortly before the Others' attack on the Wall. One shadowcat actually ''climbs the wall''.

* Inverted in ''Film/WarOfTheWorlds''. As everyone is trying to get on the ferries to escape the invaders, a flock of birds is seen flying away from the open water toward the land. But it turns out they're flying ''toward'' the [[TripodTerror Tripods]], which appear from over a hill. It's only much later that we find out why: the Tripods have fleshy biological components inside their metal chassis, and the birds apparently want some of that juicy meat.

* In the film of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'', the hobbits are hiding from the Nazgul behind a log, and notice all manner of bugs scurrying away from it.
* ''Film/Godzilla2014'': In the Golden Gate Bridge scene, a huge flock of sea gulls fly past the bridge, signalling that Godzilla is approaching.
* In ''Film/{{Melancholia}}'', as the planet Melancholia is on death course towards Earth, insects, worms and other insects start to surface the ground, signing the disturbances that happen in nature due to the gravitational pull of the approaching planet.
* The protagonists from ''Film/{{Cloverfield}}'' encounter a swarm of fleeing rats in the train tunnels before they encounter the ProportionatelyPonderousParasites.
* In the film adaptation of Creator/StephenKing's ''Film/{{Dreamcatcher}}'', Our Intrepid Heroes see a mass migration of all sorts of wildlife from their hunting cabin in the middle of the forest. One guy asks where they're all going, and one of his friend asks, "Better question... what are they all running from?"
* In ''Film/TheNeverEndingStoryIIIEscapeFromFantasia'', the Nasties' introduction is heralded by practically the entire student body running past Bastian.
* Every bird on the mountains in ''[[Film/TheWave2015 The Wave]]'' flee late at night, giving Kristian the indicator that the mountain is coming loose and a GiantWallOfWateryDoom is heading their way.
* In the parody ''WebVideo/StarWarsDownunder'', fleeing fruit bats herald the attack by Darth Drongo and his Sith Troopers on the Brown Mullet pub.

* In one scene of the extended cut of ''Film/KingKong2005'', the main characters are attacked by a swarm of giant aquatic centipedes as they're rafting down the river. The centipedes all abruptly retreat however, leaving the crew bewildered in uncomfortable silence for a moment, before the boats are rammed by [[AlwaysABiggerFish a gigantic predatory fish]].

* ''Series/StrangerThings'': [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in that the creatures are running towards something. When a large number of [[AnimalisticAbomination demodogs]] run past the heroes [[WhyIsntItAttacking without attacking]], this is because [[spoiler:their master [[EldritchAbomination the Mind Flayer]] is sending them after El.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E8HurricaneNeddy Hurricane Neddy]]": As a hurricane nears Springfield, Homer sees some animals literally blowing in the wind and he reacts as if they're "magically" able to sense when a hurricane is coming.
-->''[Santa's Little Helper struggles to move forward against the wind]''\\

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Home}}'', Oh and Tip discover that the Boov are flying alongside them, but are not attacking them. Turns out they were fleeing a Gorg drone.

** When [[spoiler: Weirdmaggeddon]] starts, the flock now includes Chutzpar himself. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And some gnomes]].

* It's never been properly scientifically tested but anecdotal evidence claims that animals have a sixth sense about impeding storms and natural disasters and will flee or behave strangely before they hit. [[http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/tsunamis-and-animal-sixth-sense-warnings-110311.htm A more pragmatic explanation may simply be that they have evolved keener senses to air pressure, scent or vibrations than humans have had to.]]

* Taken UpToEleven in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11298331/1/A-different-weasel-makes-a-difference A different weasel makes a difference]]'', where ''every single animal North of the Wall'' (from birds and rabbits to direwolves, bears, and mammoths) flees South shortly before the Others' attack on the Wall. One shadowcat actually ''climbs the wall''.

** Episodes involving the Tasmanian Devil usually begins with all sorts of animals fleeing.

* Grant and the kids end up getting caught in the middle a stampede of ''Gallimimus'' in ''Film/JurassicPark''. Once the flock passes by them, the ''[[UsefulNotes/TyrannosaurusRex Tyrannosaurus]]'' comes out from the jungle and ambushes one that tripped. [[FridgeLogic Though that begs the question]] of if the T-Rex spooked the flock, how did it get ''ahead'' of them for the ambush?

* ''Series/TheWalkingDead'': In the Season 10 episode, the survivors sense Alpha and the Whisperer horde are on their way and prepare for battle. Towards dusk, a massive swarm of rats begins fleeing from the woods outside Hilltop’s walls, alerting the survivors that the massive horde of walkers is approaching.

* In a docudrama depicting the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, the protagonists finally attain confirmation that an eruption is imminent. One of the scientists tries to play it down, in the hope that it won't be a major eruption. They're shaken by a massive rumbling, and discover a massive herd of bison evacuating the park. Only then does the cast realize how big the impending eruption will be.

* In ''Film/JurassicPark'', Dr. Grant pauses to appreciate how a group of gallimimus move "just like a flock of birds evading a predator." He doesn't know [[TyrannosaurusRex how right he is]]. Also a rare case where the flock themselves are a threat, as our heroes need to get out of their way to avoid being trampled.

* Grant and the kids end up getting caught in the middle a stampede of ''Gallimimus'' in ''Film/JurassicPark''. Once the flock passes by them, the ''[[TyrannosaurusRex Tyrannosaurus]]'' comes out from the jungle and ambushes one that tripped. [[FridgeLogic Though that begs the question]] of if the T-Rex spooked the flock, how did it get ''ahead'' of them for the ambush?

* Inverted in ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds2005''. As everyone is trying to get on the ferries to escape the invaders, a flock of birds is seen flying away from the open water toward the land. But it turns out they're flying ''toward'' the [[TripodTerror Tripods]], which appear from over a hill. It's only much later that we find out why: the Tripods have fleshy biological components inside their metal chassis, and the birds apparently want some of that juicy meat.

* Invoked in ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'', when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa. Also, a few seconds before the stampede appears a flock of birds can be seen taking over.

* ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'': Dinosaurs run out of the forest after Mount Sibo, Isla Nublar's long-dormant volcano, erupts.

* Grant and the kids end up getting caught in the middle a stampede of ''Gallimimus'' in ''Film/JurassicPark''. Once the flock passes by them, the ''[[TyrannosaurusRex Tyrannosaurus]]'' comes out from the jungle and ambushes one that tripped.

* Invoked in ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'', when Scar has the hyenas cause a wildebeest stampede as a trap for both Simba and Mufasa. Also, a few seconds before the stampeed appears a flock of birds can be seen taking over.