Birds confront other birds, wildlife, and humans in various ways. When they defend their territory, their family, and their sources of food, they can become furious and fearful. There are at least 5 ways that birds show anger:
Physical aggression
Posture and use of body language.
Loud and terrifying sounds and vocalizations
Element of surprise when suddenly flashing bright colors.
Whistling, grunting, and spitting up
A tufted chickadee has found its mate and they have started building their nest. While looking for food, he sees his reflection in the window of his house. Thinking that there is an intruder looking to take over his territory, Mr. Titmouse begins to attack the imaginary threat. Its crest points toward its target as it repeatedly flies toward the window, hitting it with its beak, heels, and chest.
On the front lines, size matters. Birds swell to appear larger to an enemy. They will stretch higher, spread their wings to the sides, and push your breasts. If they can encourage the other bird to leave because they perceive that there is no hope that they can win the battle, it will not be necessary to shed blood. However, if that doesn’t work, the birds will engage in bloody attacks that can result in fatal injuries.
Like people, birds have different personalities. American crows tend to respond quickly to what they perceive as threats to their territory, food source, or family. Warnings are conveyed to the intruder through body language and vocalizations. If stances and saber rattling don’t work, a real attack may be the only recourse.
I will never forget a summer night. Meteorologists had announced that a meteor shower would occur after midnight until very early in the morning. It was an exceptionally clear and starry night here in the woods, so I ventured out to the backyard. For whatever reason, I didn’t take my flashlight before leaving.
Suddenly I heard a very loud and strange ‘neighing’ sound right behind my head! It’s probably the fastest I’ve ever run in my life! At first I was too surprised to realize that it was not an angry stray horse that I had heard; but apparently I had intruded into the hunting territory of a screech owl. A scared bird, especially a predatory bird, can be a very angry bird! One of the ways they show their anger is with loud and unexpected vocalizations.
Scary sounds can often cause a potential intruder to turn around and run. But if that doesn’t work, some birds are also equipped with brightly colored spots. A sudden flash of white, red, yellow, or orange is intended to cause confusion long enough for a quick getaway. Reeds demonstrate this when they suddenly take flight and widen the white edges of their tail feathers.
Barn owls and turkey vultures will hiss and growl at intruders. They learn to do this when they are very young. In fact, if you come across turkey vulture chicks, they will not only make unpleasant sounds, but they will probably regurgitate! That’s another very effective mechanism that some birds employ when they get fearful or angry.
Each species has developed its own way of showing annoyance and irritation. Like people, some react more violently than others, depending on the circumstances. If you are hiking or bird watching, it helps to recognize the signs of an angry bird, especially in the spring and early summer when they are looking for a mate and nesting.