Mystery of incident that inspired 'The Birds'

[Still Waters]

Whodunit? A final mystery surrounding the work of film legend Alfred Hitchcock— what triggered the crazed bird flocks that helped inspire his 1963 thriller The Birds— appears solved by scientists.

Dying and disoriented seabirds rammed themselves into homes across California's Monterey Bay in the summer of 1961, sparking a long-standing mystery about the cause among marine biologists.The avian incidents sparked local visitor Hitchcock's interest, along with a story about spooky bird behavior by British writer Daphne du Maurier.

"I am pretty convinced that the birds were poisoned," says ocean environmentalist Sibel Bargu of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. She led a team finding that naturally occurring toxins appear to have been the culprit.

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[randym23]

weren't the Russians doing high altitude nuclear explosions around that time in 1961?

that could create a massive EMP and throw off birds' navigation capabilities.

[George Ford]

They made a film about it. Check out 'Birdemic'. Infact just buy it, amazing film.

[Finder of Lost Things]

The Birds by Daphne du Maurier was published in 1952 so I doubt an incident in 1961 had anything to do with it. According to Wikipedia the story was the inspiration for Hitchcock's film the bird. None the less the story of this real life "Birds" happening is interesting.

[Grandpa Greenman]

That movie gave me nightmares for years. I still won't watch it. I don't know, some how I could see it happening. Birds staved by the habit loss and the death of the seas going on the attack. Found the short story on line.

http://community.livejournal.com/_hitchcock_/18788.html

[Finder of Lost Things]

Awesome! This story did make me want to read The Birds!

[VietRulerZ]

get ur gun, were going bird huntin!

[SPETSNAZ95]

The Birds was a good film, the ending was **** though

[mkeningersoms]

Finder of Lost Things.... He could of known about both. Just sayin'.

[BaneSilvermoon]

Finder of Lost Things.... He could of known about both. Just sayin'.

That's exactly what the article said too. it's even in the quote of the OP.

The avian incidents sparked local visitor Hitchcock's interest, along with a story about spooky bird behavior by British writer Daphne du Maurier.

[Finder of Lost Things]

My apologies! I mis-read.

[...:::*ArorA*:::...]

i hate birds and everything about them! my greatest fear! i watched birds when i was around 5 or 6 for the first time and scared myself beyond.

it seems as thought they always smack into my car while im driving like literally into my windscreen!!! i've hit 3 birds in the last 2 weeks!

they're just out to attack me

[jules99]

i hate birds and everything about them! my greatest fear! i watched birds when i was around 5 or 6 for the first time and scared myself beyond.

it seems as thought they always smack into my car while im driving like literally into my windscreen!!! i've hit 3 birds in the last 2 weeks!

they're just out to attack me

As long as your hitting pigeons and indian minors I dont care. Lay off the australian native birds though pls..

Our roads take a shocking toll on wildlife, its just a sad thing.

[Abramelin]

The Birds was a good film, the ending was **** though

They originally wanted a different ending:

Still, I do like that final scene:

[Abramelin]

i hate birds and everything about them! my greatest fear! i watched birds when i was around 5 or 6 for the first time and scared myself beyond.

it seems as thought they always smack into my car while im driving like literally into my windscreen!!! i've hit 3 birds in the last 2 weeks!

they're just out to attack me

You wouldn't like my blog then?

http://kromakhy.blogspot.com/

[...:::*ArorA*:::...]

You wouldn't like my blog then?

http://kromakhy.blogspot.com/

ohhh my! i dont want to even open you blog!

[...:::*ArorA*:::...]

As long as your hitting pigeons and indian minors I dont care. Lay off the australian native birds though pls..

Our roads take a shocking toll on wildlife, its just a sad thing.

For goodness sake Jules! as if i want to be hitting bird anyway! they cost me bloody $500 per windscreen!

[jules99]

For goodness sake Jules! as if i want to be hitting bird anyway! they cost me bloody $500 per windscreen!

Crikey: Ive never had a bird smash my windscreen....or is it emus that your hitting?

Anyway the pink Galahs can be a bit of a worry when you drive past a flock and they all take off and then swoop back at you. I had the drivers side window down once and still cant figure out how I didnt end up with a dozen in the car with me..

Crested pigeons are funny, I had one actually running and looking back at me as I moved my car forward out of a park..as I accelerated the daft thing ran faster, like it had forgotten it could fly.

Of all the birds you will only very, very rarely see a dead crow on the road and in Australia these birds frequent roads because the pickings are so good. Crows are smart birds..in fact all birds have some magic about them if you take the time to watch and listen.