Red-winged black birds are once again going after Toronto pedestrians. Here is why

The red-winged blackbird is a familiar and noisy inhabitant of nearly any wet habitat across Canada. (Canadian Wildlife Federation/Keith Sharkey)

Torontonians hoping to enjoy a walk or run this summer should prepare to be back on the defensive as dive-bombing attacks from the notoriously small but mighty red-winged blackbirds have reportedly returned.

The small bird that bears an uncanny resemblance to the famed bird from the Angry Birds game, shares more similarities than just their bold-coloured appearance.

Pedestrians and runners around the city have taken to social media to report sightings of the birds. In past years, the bird’s have been particularly prevalent in Toronto’s Liberty Village neighbourhood, but experts say they are common near areas with dense vegetation and water.

But why do the birds display such high levels of aggression?

The songbirds’ defence mechanism is triggered when humans or other large animals approach their nesting areas, which can lead to them defending their nests against what they perceive as a threat, Andrés Jiménez Monge, the Executive Director of Ontario Nature told CTV News on Tuesday.

“They’re defending because they have a housing crisis,” Monge says. “Very little ecosystems and habitats are left in certain areas, and some cases, in those poor-quality habitats that are left, one male ends up with having a ton of females (mates) because that’s where they found an opportunity to nest.”

The birds that carry out these aerial attacks are usually the males of the species, he adds.

The breeding season of the red-winged blackbird begins in early May and could continue until August, when they can be witnessed flocking in the marshlands preparing to migrate for the winter, Monge says.

Primarily, they nest in areas with dense vegetation, like parts of marshlands or in wetlands, he explains. But due to rapid urban development, much of their natural habitat is now closer to the residential population.

The blackbirds usually call out warnings prior to taking any action and attacking, but most people – like runners or pedestrians wearing headphones – don’t hear their calls, he adds, which leads to them attacking anyone who comes close to their nests.

“They fiercely defend their territories during the breeding season, spending more than a quarter of daylight hours in territorial defence,” Monge says.

He states that being mindful of the animals and birds and their habitats could substantially decrease the likelihood of being attacked by them.

“Pay attention to the birds. Look at them and realize if they are calling and singing,” Monge says. “And if they (people) just stand a little bit away from dense vegetation where they like to nest, they will easily avoid being confronted by a red-winged blackbird.”