Angry birds: Watch out for red-winged blackbird attacks this time of year

Anna Groves | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Show Caption Hide Caption Male red-winged blackbirds defend their territories during breeding season The red-winged blackbird is one of the most abundant birds across North America.

Milwaukee residents are reporting an increase in bird attacks in the past few weeks.

Last week, a runner at Atwater Beach in Shorewood reported that a red-winged blackbird had swooped at him and made contact with his head.

"I had been running and was walking slow back to my car along the trail next to the road. At some point I got pecked in the head," said John Schampel, who was visiting Milwaukee when he was dive-bombed by the bird. "I turned around and noticed a sizable evergreen tree — he was in there, clearly in aggressive mode."

Also last week, the Medical College of Wisconsin issued a warning to its staff after building management received an anonymous voicemail complaining about a similar attack in the Research Park. Another MCW employee reported being attacked twice.

Two Journal Sentinel employees had similar experiences; one strolling at Lakeshore State Park on Monday; the other walking past the Manpower building along the Milwaukee Riverwalk.

For some, these bird attacks are a nightmare come true. But experts say this is no cause for alarm.

'They're just defending their nests'

The culprits — red-winged blackbirds — exhibit this behavior every year and are easy enough to avoid.

It's not exactly the stuff of a Hitchcock film.

“They’re just trying to defend their nests,” explained Anna Pidgeon, associate professor in the department of forest and wildlife ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Mammals are a threat to eggs or to nestlings.”

That includes humans.

A person walking by a blackbird's nest is just as scary to the birds as a raccoon, fox or hawk — no matter that the attacking bird has never had a human attack their nest in the past. The behavior is an innate response to any potential predator.

“They’re defending their babies just like anyone would defend their babies. They’re trying to change the behavior of the predator — not inflict damage,” Pidgeon explained.

Not every blackbird encounter will end in an altercation. In fact, many people who frequent natural areas have never been attacked by the birds.

They're easy enough to avoid

Normally, the birds are easily avoided in general because they only nest in a specific habitat. If you're worried, avoid paths that take you past tall grasses with wet feet, like cattails or reed canary grass.

But Schampel's attack at the lakeshore suggests the birds may be nesting — and attacking — in other areas.

"When you think you’ve got them figured out ... there's always an exception to the rule," said Schampel, who teaches biology in Arizona.

If you do find yourself near a nest, the likelihood of an attack will also depend on how close you are to the nest, whether you're walking directly toward it and the personality of the individual birds.

"There's probably wide variety in how individual red-winged blackbirds react," Pidgeon said. She said individuals likely react more or less strongly to a perceived threat. "Some may just call, some may swoop and some may make contact."

Listen for the whistle

You'll often hear their characteristic call long before you're close enough to warrant an attack. Reminiscent of an antique police whistle, most Wisconsin natives will recognize the sound when they hear it.

If you're still worried about the attacks, Pidgeon recommends, "alter your route for a month."

Or, “wear a hat or carry an umbrella. The birds will attack the tallest part of the predator because it's where the head usually is."

Clever birds.