In the movie The Birds, dozens and dozens of crows, seagulls, and other birds, terrorize the town of Bodega Bay. However the movie never really explains the reason the birds attacked. I would like to hear some theories on why they did.

My friend's theory is this. In the beginning of the movie, the lady had those birds or bird in a cage (I haven't seen the movie in ages.) Well she thinks the other birds saw this, and were mad that she had caged birds. so like where ever she went they attacked.

That was my first thought, but I ruled it out. First it wasn't just one kind of bird, but a mixture of all sorts. Also many of the birds died crashing through windows, hitting walls, etc.

The Birds is based on a short story. I can't remember the author.

Maybe the answer's there, or maybe Hitchcock wanted it left to the imagination of the audience.

But if I remember the last time I saw it, the caged birds bit, that sarkypi mentions, is supposed to have some significance.

The Birds is based on a Daphne du Maurier short story. I don't know how faithful the movie is to the story.

My thought was that the bird attacks weren't explained and were used as a device to tell a good story.

I checked Francois Truffaut's interview with Hitchcock:

FT: I'm glad you didn't give a specific reason for the attacks. It's clearly a speculation, a fantasy.

AH: That's the way I saw it.

FT: I understand that du Maurier's inspiration for a massive attack by birds was a real-life incident.

AH: Yes, these things do happen from time to time and they're generally due to a bird disease, a form of rabies. But it would have been too horrible to put that in a picture, don't you think?

I think the caged birds were significant though. I remember thinking 'Oh No!' when the child asks 'Can I take my lovebirds along' at the end of the movie.

Byuu94, have you noticed the similarities in our avatars. I own Squall! I demand compensation! My squall is original. Dont think you can be stealing my perfectness either.

Oh, and i smell better.

They were pissed off about humans taking over their natural habitat.

Raziel, I understand why you are angry. I'll find another avatar................again.
I'm starting to get really mad, cause every time I find a cool avatar, someone already has it! First BloodAngel, now Raziel, when will it end?!!!! (frantically waving arms in the air)

I think that 3000 years ago birds ruled the world and would keep humans locked up in cages. Then somehow the humans over ruled them and kept most of the smart and evil ones in the cages and let the dumb ones out. But then the dumb ones remembered this and they started to plot an attack. But you see if they let the smart ones out then they would have done that attack about 3873 years ago...

DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS!

RH

I can remember watching "The Birds" in my first period High School class. I don't think anyone was particularly scared of the film until midway through the class when a bird actually flew into the window, breaking its neck.

The revenge of animals....I think it is cool..

Give the humans some sh** back....for all we have done to everything alive...even each other....
Raped the wonderful earth and sometimes don´t even see anything wrong.
That is so wrong.

I think it is revenge.....world takeover....

I believe it was Daphne Du Maurier who wrote it

My thoughts: You aren't supposed to understand it! That's what makes it such a good movie, you are supposed to use your imagination. Don't come up with just one explanation, what's the fun of that? Don't just come up with stupid answers (not to point any fingers) think out of the box! Go ask Alfred Hitchcock maybe he knows?

i don't think it was every really explained in the movie...

i think they just attacked because they did....

i'm sure it was something do do with the weather....

I've read the original short story -- a long time ago. If I remember correctly, I think it was an ecological thing -- the birds were angry about pollution, and had naturally progressed enough through evolution to take over the earth.

Interestingly enough, the protagonist in the original story was an English farmer. Funny how Hitchcock managed to make the story about the suffering of beautiful blond women instead! In many ways, the story is much creepier, because at the end, the farmer realizes that he and his family are probably the only people left living on earth -- that the attack of the birds is worldwide. The ending of the movie, on the other hand, always struck me as lame -- they just drive off. They just drive off? Why the heck didn't they do that before?! Maybe there's something I'm not getting about it.