When you look at a bird soaring through the air, what do you see? A wholesome little creature that comes with peace, or someone that has this unexplainable urge for chaos and menace inside?
If you’ve been pooped on by a bird or had it steal your food, you’re probably thinking of the latter option. Our feathered friends, just like humans, can be a bit nitwitted, and the proof is in the Birds Being [Jerks] subreddit.
We at Bored Panda have collected some of the best (worst?) evidence of birds causing a menace to society. To find it, all you have to do is scroll down. While you’re busy doing so, don’t forget to upvote those chirpers you would feel intimidated by in the street.
Also, we reached out to birders and hosts of the Hannah and Erik Go Birding Podcast, Hannah and Erik, and Isabelle Manseau, owner of Birdzy, who kindly agreed to tell us more about avian mean behaviors.
This post may include affiliate links.
What A T*rd
Mine yells "ouch!" When he bits, which is luckily, infrequent. He also says "yeah....ok....alright....uh-huh" when I talk on the phone
Myna Bird Covers Traffic Camera In Nz
This is how birds take selfies. The lack of thumbs makes it hard to operate a camera
Hes Figured Out How To Open The Seed Dispenser
Birders and hosts of the Hannah and Erik Go Birding Podcast, Hannah and Erik are a husband-and-wife duo who spend their free time exploring, crossing birds off their list, and traveling to new places. The couple started their podcast to hopefully inspire others, share their adventures, and encourage future and present birders.
Hannah and Erik tell Bored Panda that they have noticed quite a few species exhibiting "jerk-like" behaviors in their time birdwatching.
"One species that comes to mind is the Northern Mockingbird, a fairly common bird throughout much of the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. These birds become very territorial during the breeding season and drive off potential threats and competitors. We've even seen two individuals fighting in the road, almost as if to push one another in front of a car!" they share.
Got A Bird Feeder With A Camera And The Crow Is Not A Fan
Honestly? Good For Him
When a bird flies overhead and something warm and wet splats down your neck, you're not usually expecting it to be cheese and pepperoni
Load More Replies...Not very well. They should show this in their training to make sure the pizzas are properly cut.
Load More Replies...Uber Sky
Isabelle Manseau, owner of Birdzy, agrees that birds can exhibit behaviors that humans can interpret as "jerk-like" or chaotic. "One of the most chaotic examples is the behavior of seagulls in coastal areas. They are notorious for their bold food-stealing antics, often snatching food directly from people’s hands or even swooping down to steal snacks from outdoor tables," she told us.
"Another example is the common grackle, which forms large, noisy flocks that can dominate bird feeders, pushing out smaller birds and creating a lot of commotion. Additionally, blue jays are known for their aggressive behavior at feeders, often scaring away other birds and even mimicking hawk calls to clear the area for themselves."
"Peace Was Never An Option"
His name was Canuck and he lived in Vancouver. He was famous for being friendly with people. In this photo, he was wandering through a crime scene (for real!) and picked up the weapon. There are more stories and info online. A few years ago he just disappeared and no one has seen him since. It's assumed he died. He was a lovely friendly bird. Thank you Canuck, for visiting us.
Nice photo, he goes hunting again despite his electronic ankle tag!
Some very smart person made a meme of this by adding "You know it's a bad neighborhood when you see a bird wearing an ankle monitor carrying a knife." I love it.
Angry Robin
A robin just knocked over a metal bird we keep on the table outside, then stared me down asking me what I was going to do about it.
The Brits have a saying 'robins appear when loved ones are near'. However European robins are very territorial and the reason they're watching you on your walk is to make sure you bugger off.
Well, bugger me, BP doesn't know the word 'bugger'
Load More Replies...I'll Be Taking This
Note the other bird under the the branch distracting the victim. Just like pickpockets.
Isabelle's creation, Birdzy, offers handmade bird food that is packed with high-energy food, rich in protein and fat. "I quickly realized that the store-bought seed was like junk food for birds and I wanted to provide a better dining experience," she wrote on her website.
"As I created and refined my blends and created handmade birdseed gifts, I found myself drawn into a vibrant community of bird enthusiasts. We shared tips, stories, and lots of laughter. The positive feedback and happiness from the community and customers only fueled my passion further.
Impolite Bird Had To Photobomb The Airshow
Had To Share That. Exactly For This Sub!
Golf would be far more interesting to watch if this happened more often.
Yes the pro tour victory is dependent on how they handle a goose on hole 13.
Load More Replies...I had a student who said that he wished there were dragons so he could fight them. Same kid ran away from a goose on playground later that week.
You should know better than to build a golf course near a goose nest.
Geese are not a******s. The golf course used to be a natural habitat, unused by humans, until someone put in a golf course. And, there went the neighborhood.
Load More Replies...Same with swans - beautiful but must be taken seriously
Load More Replies...Those wild geese are no joke! I once saw a small flock of them attack a little kid and then fight the people trying to rescue him. It was horrifying!
Seller Of Bird Spikes Received The Photo From A Customer
Pigeons the world over—-renowned for making the most half-assed nests—-are eternally grateful to the manufacturers of bird spikes for providing ready-made nests.
Pidgeon are a type of rock dove, they dont build nests b/c they pick rocky cliff outcroppings, often on cliffs or skyscrapers to lay their eggs on. All they have to do is keep the egg/eggs from rolling off the clift. Its why you see "pidgeon nests" not in trees but on flat surface with like 3 or 4 twigs around the eggs. They dont build nests b/c that's literally good enough. Lots of cliff dwellings birds ues that technique.
Load More Replies...Local bank installed anti bird spikes. As a result, birds moved away, but whole bank building is covered in bird s**t ever since.
Those spikes are not for birds. They are to keep PEOPLE from climbing over.
We had a mentally disturbed Robin who would fly from the ground to smash into our bedroom window. At least 10-15 times before moving to the family room window and hit that about the same number of times. Sometimes in the evening, before the sun stopped shining on a living room window, he would hit that. Drove our dog nuts and since he started on the bedroom window just when the sun hit it really pissed us off. Nothing stopped him. The window didn't have a ledge so we couldn't put anything on it. Asked our vet and, I know this will get down votes, her response was an air rifle. He did this for 3 years.
In general, Hannah and Erik say that corvids, like crows and jays, are more susceptible to acting (in human terms) mean because they have a higher intelligence than a lot of other birds.
"This helps them adapt and thrive in harsh environments. Sometimes this causes them to be a bit mischievous. For example, jays are incredible mimics and will often mimic the call of a raptor, which confuses smaller birds (and sometimes birders). They use this to scare all the little birds away from feeders so they can have it to themselves."
Dont Know Original Source Of This Gem
Every time I see a hummingbird, my first thought is “wow that’s a big bug” before I realize…
Awwwww...little humming bird must be tired from flapping its wings at 60 MPH.
No Food For You
My Day
It's like the fish is thinking, "Dammit, here we go again."
Load More Replies...That look on the fish is perfect (but I'm sad for him anyway).
"Certain bird species are more likely to display behaviors that humans might perceive as mean," seconds Isabelle.
"European starlings are invasive in many regions and frequently outcompete native birds for nesting sites and food, which can come across as aggressive or unfair. House sparrows are known for their aggressive behavior at bird feeders, often chasing away other birds to monopolize resources. Red-winged blackbirds are fiercely territorial during breeding season and will aggressively dive-bomb anything that comes near their nests, including humans and larger animals."
Riding My New Bicycle, Feeling Free As A Bird
Woke up this morning, under the rising sun. Three little birds, sit on my cycle... 🎶
She's Doing The Middle Finger
Every morning I can hear these guys shrieking outside my bedroom window. Welcome to Australia - the land where you don't need to set an alarm.
I'll take shrieking cockatoos over mowers & leaf blowers anyday
Load More Replies...What the hell is it with Australia? Animals 10 times the size they should be with bad attitudes.
This Is The Bastard...... So I Was Eating A Sandwich. Suddenly I Was Slapped Hard In The Back Of The Head!! I Take The Sandwich From My Mouth In Total Shock, But Then It Was Ripped Out Of My Hand!!! Yes I Was Wing Slapped I The Head And Robbed By A Seagull !
Seagulls are apparently moving to my country, should I expect to be robbed?
If you're gonna eat near them, guard your food like it's the one ring or better yet, find some cover. Just holding something edible in your hand in an area where they hang out is basically about the same as throwing the food to them, because it will be snatched.
Load More Replies...Went to Long Beach Island in NJ for a week this past summer. On our last beach day, after pretty much everyone had left the beach, my friend and I brought a bunch of seafood leftovers for the seagulls. Made a game out of it, throwing pieces of fish higher and higher into the air for them to catch. Super fun. Seagulls chased us all the way back to the beach house.
However, such birds aren't acting like "jerks" on purpose, Hannah and Erik tell us. "The goal for animals is to survive and pass their genes on. So any actions that might be considered mean or "jerk-like" are likely helping that bird to fulfill this purpose. Some birds tend to have more attitude than others, which could help them protect their territory, find mates, or chase off predators."
This Mf Set Up Shop On My Wreath And Now I Can’t Open My Front Door Without Getting Attacked By It
Not bad for a dove. I caught one putting a stick on my doormat and calling it a nest.
Dove sets down stick on doormat: “Mine! Go away!”
Load More Replies...We had a pair of sparrows nest in our Christmas wreath a few years ago. WHY they chose the front door is beyond me. We put up signs to make sure everyone in the building was very gentle opening and closing the door (it was the only door). The best part was that the top half of the door is glass, so from inside we could watch the babies growing up.
I guess you'll be using the "friends" door for a while. (Back door)
Jeez, just use the back door for a while. Oh, and don't put wreaths on your door.
😂
What The
"Birds don’t have the same emotional complexity as humans, so they aren’t "mean" in the way we understand it," adds Isabelle. "However, their behaviors are often driven by survival instincts, such as securing food, defending territory, or protecting their young. For example, a bird stealing food from another bird isn’t being "mean" on purpose—it’s simply trying to survive."
Hey Read The Sign!
Oh he can definitely read, he just doesn't care.
Load More Replies...you can tell me, but you can also argue with the tides - same result
Load More Replies...Obviously it's Trump in bird form since he's ignoring rules.
Load More Replies...Look At This Distinguished Gentlemen
Why don't you give him a Billycock hat, it would suit him much better...
To The Poor Bloke Who Was Chased For Half A Mile By Turkeys This Morning I Sincerely Hope Your Day Improves
I can relate and sympathize with this poor guy. I personally can't stand wild turkeys and try to avoid them, at all costs. They are jerks, TurkJerks? Jerkeys/Jurkeys?
Yeah, I wondered the same thing. My neighborhood has turkeys and I’ve never seen them try to attack anyone. Either that or there were babies nearby…
Load More Replies...It would have if he was prepared & thinking about Thanksgiving dinner!
"If you see a bird doing something "mean," watch it for a while and put yourself in its shoes to see if you can figure out its motivations," Hannah and Erik suggest.
Meanwhile, Isabelle says, "Understanding the motivations behind bird behavior can help reframe these actions as natural and necessary for their survival, rather than labeling them as "mean" or "jerks.”"
My Bird Ate My Fruit
Which would make a 'pear' of attacks ... I'll get my coat ...
Load More Replies...Hey It Says No Fishing D**k Head
Pigeon Isn't Scared
I rather like my mourning doves that live in a tree in my yard. The squirrels are d¡ckheads though.
I have one that the head moves to try to keep the sparrows from roosting in mass in my backyard. Their poop was making the yard unpleasant. Didn’t work at all.
The Cement Wasn’t Dry Yet..but Who Cares If You’re This Bird
I hope they immediately fly to some water to wash that cement off. Cement can burn tissue.
My thoughts too, plus could it possibly get stuck?
Load More Replies...Just added amenities. Leave them. The house across the street from us has my horse's shoe prints on their slab, from 1973.
a million years from now an archaeologist will try to figure out what these mean
Found On Fb, Hilarious!
Swans hurt people regularly, but never heard of broken arm. One drowned a kayaker in Michigan, they bite all the time, OP had injured legs. Facial injuries from wings and beak are fairly common. Never heard of arm breaks though.
Load More Replies...One swan here in Czech Republic became famous for chasing and beating canoists and sinking their canoes. People named him Trenér (Coach). They tried to move him, but he always come back.
Imisread the swan bit his shirt as the swan lost his sh*t. Probably would have been even funnier that way!
Woke Up To This Today. F**k You Too!
Snickering? That's a full throw your head back belly laugh!
Load More Replies...What did you do to make them mad? Ravens & crows do hold grudges and will pay you back.
Reminds me of Kodama from Princess Mononoke. Birds could be Ghibli fans imitating art?
"Not Now Gregory I Am Searching"
This reminds me, yesterday I was feeding some crows in my yard and I saw one with bird poop on its back. I've never seen a bird with bird poop on it, and I was thinking, "How?? How unfortunate. How did that happen??" and this pic shows me a possibility
F150 In The Lake, Obviously The Ducks Did It
One of the most amusing places to hang out is any busy launch ramp. Especially at the end of the day when much liquor has been consumed. Once saw a dude trying to impress everyone with his cabin cruiser. Rev'd the engines, put it in reverse to leave the dock along the ramp only to come to a wicked halt. He was still tied to the dock.
Ever Wondered What A Pelican Trying To Eat A Phone Looks Like
Its super interesting to me that its eyes are perfectly lined up so it can see what it's biting
As my late father would've said, "A marvellous bird is the pelican, its beak can hold more than its belly can."
Deer Was Just Walking By, Minding His Own Business And This D**k Was Like "Absolutely Not"
LOL for a sec, was wondering why they blanked out Duck.
Load More Replies...The bird obviously has a bigger appitie than he can acutally eat.
Why Is This Blueberry So Vicious?
What A D**k
Had that happen many times. Eat your ice cream (chips, sandwich, burger...) indoors. Or else.
Not so much that in this case. Seagulls evolved to swoop in and grab eggs/chicks off cliffs and fly off with them, so this is normal for them. It will be down to a) being habituated to humans and b) there being less and less environments where they can eat naturally. And both of these are down to all of us, sadly.
Load More Replies...A Tiny Sparrow Bird Stealing A Fries
I used to work at a theme park and in the employee break area there were kamakazi sparrows. I was eating fries one day and a sparrow just swooped right in front of my face and took the fry out of my hand as I was about to eat it. Damn things were fearless.
The ones that are in Hawaii are absolute monsters of birds
Load More Replies...Keeps Pecking The Window And Shouting At Me While I'm Trying To Work. D**k
"Hand over the chips and I won't be forced to break this window, chump"
The reflection shows your fingers around his neck. Not very nice.
What A D**k
Swans are also a******s. But prettier than geese so they have a better reputation
Maybe not, there was a case where a swan killed somebody while they were kayaking. Swans tend to be more aggressive and territorial than geese.
Load More Replies...Swans are quite territorial and they aren’t nice about it
Captured Moment Seagull Grabs The Flake Out Of My Ice Cream
Judging by the colour of the sea, that's the UK, and all gulls are protected species here.
Load More Replies...The chocolate stick in the ice cream, the brand name is Flake, because it's made of thin layers of chocolate slightly stuck together, but they flake off when you bite them. They are also used as a garnish for ice cream cones.
Load More Replies...He Keeps Setting Off My Ring
Remember Your Ancestors!
They Want To Try Something New
Give Me Your Lunch Kid!
Nah that's seagulls. I've seen a black backed gull eat a pigeon.
Load More Replies...Perfect Shot!
Poor Turtles
My Bird Stole My Chips And Straight Up T-Posed On Me
"Please Give Me Back My Lunch"
How Dare I Disturb Its Peace
What A D**k
Forgot I Had This Open In A Tab And Fully Ugly Cackled When I Found It
Hey Wrong Way
This D**k Has A Problem With My Security Camera
"Mom! The Vultures Are Being Creepy Again!"
I would turn around and leave if I pulled up to my house and saw that.
If you've got this many vultures showing up, it's probably time to update your will.
Most likely the sun was just out and they were all warming themselves in it. Or that house has a really badly insulated attic, so that roof is nice and toasty. My parents live on a street where about 7 dozen (yes, you read that correctly) Turkey vultures like to congregate, mostly during the autumn/winter months.
Its 100% A French Cockatoo
Google Street View Photographer Attacked By The World's Deadliest Creature!
No People Allowed
*The pigeon waits, knowing well that he is breaking the loitering rule. He plans silently whose car he'll poop on next.*
The Most Judgmental Birds I Have Ever Had The Misfortune Of Photographing
Are they babblers, if yes, then they don't just look judgmental, but pass judgements. Loudly and incessantly.
They look like those mean birds in the Pixar short film "For the Birds "😆
This Jerk Dive-Bombs Every Bird That Comes To My Feeder
Bird Attacking Me On My Front Porch
Anyone else in Milwaukee, have one of these asshole birds attacking you every time you leave through your front door?
One of these red tip black birds, decided to post up right on the top of my house overlooking anyone who walks out my front door and flying into their head; at one point it caused an accident where it hit someone in the back of the head which caused them to trip down the stairs, scraped up knees, scraped up forehead and hands.
Pretty embarrassing when a small bird wins the fight. Then again, I’ve never fought a bird, they might be vicious.
D**k Birds Are Cyber Bullying Now
Stellar Steller Jay Stealing Raven’s Peanuts
I can see why they call it a stellar jay (now time to make a fancy shmancy fursona of this bird woop dee doo) :D
Me looking through this post for cool birds to make Goetia ocs out of/use as memes
Load More Replies...D**k Bites Girlfriend
This Bird Just Flies Into My Window All Day Long. How Do I Make It Stop?
We've had birds do that too. They think their reflection is another bird. Must be mating season - that's a male cardinal and he's probably defending his territory. You can put something in the window to mask the reflection.
A string mesh net, or a fake spider's web, might do it
Load More Replies...They sell reflective window clings. Some are prismatic and look rainbowy some we can't really see but they have a UV pattern that lasts about half a year in the Sun but the birds can see. They can hurt themselves or worse if they hit the window too hard it can help them survive to get some of these clings.
The item on the left looks like it's reddish and probably a fake lobster of some sort. The bird thinks it's another male and is attacking it. Only the males are red the females are brownish.
Call 911 The Bird Stole My Breakfast
I was eating lunch outside and a sparrow approached, so I put a portion aside for him. He politely joined me. It was nice to have some company.
Takin’ Potato Chips From A Child Is Still A Ground Score, Right? Quit Ya Beak, We Gon Eat Tonight!
I Have No Words, Was Just Sad And Bought Ice Cream
Stop taking ice cream selfies at the beach. The gulls have figured it out.
Totally self-inflicted. Who f*****g cares what your ice cream looks like—-because it looks like every other ice cream they sell. It ain’t unique, ffs. So just eat it before the gulls take it from you, ffs.
Load More Replies...This is staged and the birds learn from it. She would have dropped that and run if it was real
Got Up From My Lunch And These Sh**heads Showed Up Immediately
Then clean up your take yourself before you leave, ffs. Yeah, I know most places pay someone to bus your table, but you could at least save them having to fight birds (and probably get dived bombed and s**t on as well) just to do their job for the criminally low wages they’re paid.
My Bird Ate My Art
Spent $4,000 On Corrective Eye Surgery, Only For Her To Scratch Out The Stitches Within Two Days. Thanks, Bean
Poor Bird Flies Into My Window Every Morning And Keeps Hurting Himself. Not Sure How To Make It Stop
You must be tired of saying that so many times.
Load More Replies...Window clings for anti bird collision. They make them just for this purpose.
Reflective window film: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-Collision-Stickers-Silhouettes-Protection-Transparent/dp/B07YZ54JFW/ref=asc_df_B07YZ54JFW?mcid=da7ad91f1d8137a7872440d2470fdfbc&hvocijid=10483267294569248724-B07YZ54JFW-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10483267294569248724&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045702&hvtargid=pla-2281435177338&gad_source=1&th=1
Any Ideas On How To Politely Ask This Jerk To Stop Attacking My Window?
Reflective window film. Sorry, long link. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-Collision-Stickers-Silhouettes-Protection-Transparent/dp/B07YZ54JFW/ref=asc_df_B07YZ54JFW?mcid=da7ad91f1d8137a7872440d2470fdfbc&hvocijid=10483267294569248724-B07YZ54JFW-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10483267294569248724&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045702&hvtargid=pla-2281435177338&gad_source=1&th=1
To Be Fair I May Have Interrupted His Meal
Pigeons, geese, and seagulls need to stop being a******s and stop bullying other animals
Hmmm, sounds like pigeons and hoomans are ALIKE!
Load More Replies...Birds dying from eating litter is a huge reason to not litter. It is tragic seeing their remains filled garbage
It sure made me Laugh Out Loud, and that's the point. Well done.
Pigeons, geese, and seagulls need to stop being a******s and stop bullying other animals
Hmmm, sounds like pigeons and hoomans are ALIKE!
Load More Replies...Birds dying from eating litter is a huge reason to not litter. It is tragic seeing their remains filled garbage
It sure made me Laugh Out Loud, and that's the point. Well done.
