‘The Birds’ was an American natural horror-thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It was released in 1963. The story revolves around a series of sudden and unexplained violent attacks on the people of Bodega Bay, California, loosely based on the 1952 story of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. Rod Taylor stars in the film alongside Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, and Veronica Cartwright. Evan Hunter wrote the screenplay, which Hitchcock directed to create new characters and a more elaborate plot while keeping du Maurier’s title and concept of unexplained bird attacks.
Hitchcock told The Press Democrat while filming in 1962.
I chose Bodega Bay because it is small, intimate, isolated, colorful — the sort of place made for this picture. The people are just right for the scenes I need,
The news coverage during filming reported everything from Hitchcock’s demands – more chickens, more grass – to the $400 fine he paid for exceeding the number of birds allowed by his Fish and Wildlife Service permit. Approximately 500 live crows, ravens, chickens, and seagulls were trapped by mid-March 1962, according to a Press Democrat report.
Some fabulous photos show scenes from ‘The Birds’ and Alfred Hitchcock posing with birds.