Beware - Aggressive Bird

[Craig Yuill]

This is a public-safety post.

If you happen to be wandering around Iona Regional Park, which is just North of Vancouver International Airport (a rather long shot, I know), beware of a very aggressive Red-winged Blackbird that resides in the park.

I was taking photos of a Yellow-headed Blackbird next to another photographer who was doing the same thing. When that bird flew off and landed at a nearby location, I turned and headed slowly to where that bird was located. As I was walking I felt a something bump noticeably into my back, and could hear a bird's wings flapping. I turned swiftly around and saw this Red-winged Blackbird fleeing and then landing on a tree, as captured in this photo below.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

The other photographer explained that the bird had been harassing her after she refused to share her sandwich with it. For some reason the bird started attacking me instead. Altogether I got bumped into one more time, and buzzed twice. >:-( (FWIW - the numerous other Red-winged Blackbirds in the park minded their own businesses and left me alone.)

Here's another view of the bird.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

If you happen to see this specific bird, be sure to keep your distance from it. And remember - sandwiches seem to trigger its aggressive behaviour.

 

[raptor photo]

That's odd behavior. I don't think a PSA is necessary though, what is a red winged blackbird going to do, and the chances of someone in this forum visiting that park and finding this bird while eating sandwiches is very low

 

[MrFotoFool]

I think it was just jealous because you were photographing the yellow-headed blackbird instead of it!

 

[JAJohnson]

This is a public-safety post.

If you happen to be wandering around Iona Regional Park, which is just North of Vancouver International Airport (a rather long shot, I know), beware of a very aggressive Red-winged Blackbird that resides in the park.

I was taking photos of a Yellow-headed Blackbird next to another photographer who was doing the same thing. When that bird flew off and landed at a nearby location, I turned and headed slowly to where that bird was located. As I was walking I felt a something bump noticeably into my back, and could hear a bird's wings flapping. I turned swiftly around and saw this Red-winged Blackbird fleeing and then landing on a tree, as captured in this photo below.

View attachment 64117

The other photographer explained that the bird had been harassing her after she refused to share her sandwich with it. For some reason the bird started attacking me instead. Altogether I got bumped into one more time, and buzzed twice. >:-( (FWIW - the numerous other Red-winged Blackbirds in the park minded their own businesses and left me alone.)

Here's another view of the bird.

View attachment 64118

If you happen to see this specific bird, be sure to keep your distance from it. And remember - sandwiches seem to trigger its aggressive behaviour.

They are known to be aggressive at times. I've been harassed by them several times over the years. I try to remember that I'm a visitor and they're at home... at least for a few months.

 

[Rassie]

Redwings are typically aggressive during breeding season. That is when they tend to attack anything that comes near their nest. I bet if you check carefully you'll probably find this bird's nest nearby. Sometimes it's the female on the eggs that starts screeching when you get near, and that puts the male into home defender mode. Fortunately they are too small to do real damage when they attack.

 

[JAJohnson]

Redwings are typically aggressive during breeding season. That is when they tend to attack anything that comes near their nest. I bet if you check carefully you'll probably find this bird's nest nearby. Sometimes it's the female on the eggs that starts screeching when you get near, and that put the male into home defender mode. Fortunately they are too small to do real damage when they attack.

I remember once that I had indeed come near a well-hidden nest. No harm but it was a memorable day.

 

[Steve W]

You want to try our Aussie magpie and spur-wing / masked lapwing plovers if you want aggression.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[ssheipel]

I was hit in the back of the head, full on, twice, my upstretched hands a few times and my lens got hit a couple more times, by a very persistent and angry Black Tern a few weekends ago; assumed when I first got hit out of nowhere that it was one of the MANY Red-winged Blackbirds around me OH, and I was no where near a sandwich so clearly not a trigger for the Tern

 

[Richard Stern]

Try a Northern Goshawk when there are chicks in the nest. You need a helmet just to be in the woods.

 

[Woodyg3]

RWBB dive bomb runners and walkers all the time. A trick to keep them from attacking from behind is to wear a hat with “eyes” drawn on the back. They usually won’t strike if they believe you are looking at them. Then there are geese who could care less if you are looking and will lunge at you. LOL.

A friend of mine knows a guy who partially lost sight in one eye when a mother Great Horned Owl nailed him in the face near a nest.

 

[Richard Stern]

There is a book "An Eye for a Bird" by Eric Hosking OBE, Hon FRPS, who was a pioneering wildlife photographer and probably the first professional photographer to make a living predominantly from photographing birds. who indeed lost an eye to a Tawny owl while photographing it. He went on to produce wonderful images, with one eye, using equipment available in the mid- 20th century, before digital cameras, hand-holdable long lenses, bird eye detection, Lightroom etc. Still available on A........N and a great read.

 

[stevemazzella]

Maybe I should stay with landscapes. BIF photography sounds quite dangerous.

 

[jeffnles1]

I enjoy fishing and have had them attack me while in my kayak many times. Usually when I get fairly close to the cattails along the lake's shoreline. If they think I'm too close to the nest, they will fly out, yell at me and yes, I have had one hit my hat before.

While not everyday occurrence, it's not all that unusual for a nesting redwing blackbird. Now you have a great story to tell.

Jeff

 

[TonyDownunder]

With the Australian magpie, that can be very aggressive as stated above, it is common for cyclists to put about a dozen large cable ties in their bike helmets as a deterrent. It looks a bit like a porcupine but seems effective. Maybe do something similar In a sturdy cap.
As a side bit of trivia on the Aussie Magpie, they usually don‘t attack everyone, just some they take a disliking to. Studies have also shown they have a long memory and will attack these people several years later if the person returns to an area after a long absence.

 

[Steve W]

With the Australian magpie, that can be very aggressive as stated above, it is common for cyclists to put about a dozen large cable ties in their bike helmets as a deterrent. It looks a bit like a porcupine but seems effective. Maybe do something similar In a sturdy cap.
As a side bit of trivia on the Aussie Magpie, they usually don‘t attack everyone, just some they take a disliking to. Studies have also shown they have a long memory and will attack these people several years later if the person returns to an area after a long absence.

Yes, helmets like this are common, unfortunately I think it just forces them to attack from another angle. A number of people have sustained eye injuries from attacks to I’d always recommend wearing glasses.
Personally, I am at peace with the magpie, never seem to have a problem. They do seem to choose their targets.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Roy]

This is a public-safety post.

If you happen to be wandering around Iona Regional Park, which is just North of Vancouver International Airport (a rather long shot, I know), beware of a very aggressive Red-winged Blackbird that resides in the park.

I was taking photos of a Yellow-headed Blackbird next to another photographer who was doing the same thing. When that bird flew off and landed at a nearby location, I turned and headed slowly to where that bird was located. As I was walking I felt a something bump noticeably into my back, and could hear a bird's wings flapping. I turned swiftly around and saw this Red-winged Blackbird fleeing and then landing on a tree, as captured in this photo below.

View attachment 64117

The other photographer explained that the bird had been harassing her after she refused to share her sandwich with it. For some reason the bird started attacking me instead. Altogether I got bumped into one more time, and buzzed twice. >:-( (FWIW - the numerous other Red-winged Blackbirds in the park minded their own businesses and left me alone.)

Here's another view of the bird.

View attachment 64118

If you happen to see this specific bird, be sure to keep your distance from it. And remember - sandwiches seem to trigger its aggressive behaviour.

That little bird ?
Here we have a bird called the Cassowary Apart from Ostridges protecting their eggs is the only people killing bird ...

 

[Steve W]

That little bird ?
Here we have a bird called the Cassowary Apart from Ostridges protecting their eggs is the only people killing bird ...

Here’s the Cassowary, wouldn’t want it to head butt you but worse still, look at the toes. Like the ostrich it kicks forward with the feet in a downward slashing motion. They can move at about 50 km/h. They are not generally aggressive per se, more defensive around chicks or if startled.

 

[Craig Yuill]

I am surprised about the legs (wings?) this post has. It was intended to be an odd but mostly tongue-in-cheek tale about something that happened to me during a recent outing. Now we get tales of deadly Cassowaries. Yikes!

 

[Steve W]

I am surprised about the legs (wings?) this post has. It was intended to be an odd but mostly tongue-in-cheek tale about something that happened to me during a recent outing. Now we get tales of deadly Cassowaries. Yikes!

Yeah, we might have drifted off track somewhat. Fact is a lot of birds can be nasty, not all cutesy.

 

[GoldenWheels]

This is a public-safety post.

If you happen to be wandering around Iona Regional Park, which is just North of Vancouver International Airport (a rather long shot, I know), beware of a very aggressive Red-winged Blackbird that resides in the park.

I was taking photos of a Yellow-headed Blackbird next to another photographer who was doing the same thing. When that bird flew off and landed at a nearby location, I turned and headed slowly to where that bird was located. As I was walking I felt a something bump noticeably into my back, and could hear a bird's wings flapping. I turned swiftly around and saw this Red-winged Blackbird fleeing and then landing on a tree, as captured in this photo below.

View attachment 64117

The other photographer explained that the bird had been harassing her after she refused to share her sandwich with it. For some reason the bird started attacking me instead. Altogether I got bumped into one more time, and buzzed twice. >:-( (FWIW - the numerous other Red-winged Blackbirds in the park minded their own businesses and left me alone.)

Here's another view of the bird.

View attachment 64118

If you happen to see this specific bird, be sure to keep your distance from it. And remember - sandwiches seem to trigger its aggressive behaviour.

Yes, I was in Central Park last week waiting to photograph a heron to take flight when all of a sudden the blackbird pecked me at the back of my head; twice. Good thing I had a baseball cap on. Perhaps they are protecting their nest/territory?

 

[Anjin San]

Back in the mid 90s I was stationed in the Pentagon area and we routinely ran over on the GW Parkeay near National Airport…I ran shirtless but with a white headband that had a Japanese banzai rising sun red icon on it…and this one red wing routinely attacked us when we ran that way…probably 3x a week for several years. We decided it was the bright red circle that irritated him…always as we passed the same tree. Since it happened for years we decided it wasn’t nesting behavior but red ball hating behavior.

 

[Roy]

Here’s the Cassowary, wouldn’t want it to head butt you but worse still, look at the toes. Like the ostrich it kicks forward with the feet in a downward slashing motion. They can move at about 50 km/h. They are not generally aggressive per se, more defensive around chicks or if startled.

Yeah, we might have drifted off track somewhat. Fact is a lot of birds can be nasty, not all cutesy.

Love Birds but they have the ability to resist disease and therefore spread it ...

 

[IainD]

I was taking images of whales with men tripod on the top of a low cliff, when a magpie (Australia) decided it didn't like me. It flew straight at my face, but hit my 500 f4. Its claws managed to make my nose bleed though. I didn't see it coming at all. Just a sudden slam.

 

[IainD]

PS There is a magpie in our area that doesn't like our Great Dane. Swoops and pecks during every walk. Strangely, our dog doesn't seem to care! She is tough.

 

[Roy]

I like magpies - they sometimes come into out kitchen asking for treats ...