A giant flock of birds descended on a parking lot in US' Texas, creating a scene that looked like a modern adaptation of the 1963 horror movie The Birds, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. A video going viral on social media showed a strip mall parking lot covered in hundreds of birds, in a display almost identical to the end of Hitchcock's avian horror movie. The birds were not bothered by people or cars and were likely picking through the trash for food.
Yvone Gomez who captured the video on January 2 described the scene as "straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie." "These birds were not scared as I honked," Ms Gomez said.
Watch the video here:
Reacting to the incident, many people said that it is a common phenomenon and happens every winter.
One user wrote, ''Possibly that parking lot used to have large Texas oak trees where the birds would historically roost. The location is hardwired into their bird-brained navigation system. They all agree, yep, this is the place our great-great grandparents raved about, but where are the trees?''
Another commented, ''That is creepy, but I guess it happens quite a bit in the Dallas area. I lived in Frisco and saw this happen at least 10 times in parking lots.''
According to Houston Audubon, the blackbirds, known as great-tailed grackles, can be found in any area inhabited by humans with some trees.
"Great-tailed grackles are a permanent sight in Houston and can be found in any area inhabited by humans that has some trees," per environmental educator Vicki Stittleburg on Houston Audubon's website.
The conservation organization also noted that the birds are "fierce parents" and may defend nests by "chasing, mobbing or diving at perceived predators," including humans.
Dr. Jessica Yorzinski explained the reason behind their sudden takeover saying, ''Grackles behave differently in winter months. They don't hang around in small groups of two or three individuals like in the spring and summer. In the winter, they like to roost in big groups; sometimes groups of hundreds or thousands of birds.''
