In the 1963 thriller, The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock weaves a story of ruthless birds that attack a small town. While crows were the scariest birds in this film, there are many more creepy birds to haunt you. 

1. American Crow: A crow’s hoarse cry echoes across the sky, sending chills down your spine. A large group of crows is called a “murder.” Crows are highly intelligent, family oriented birds that do not fly alone. While they do not eat meat, their diet consists of foraged foods such as insects, eggs, berries, seeds and sometimes garbage. 

2. Magnificent Riflebird: A bird named after a rifle? These birds appear creepy with their vibrant throats, velvet-black feathers and curved bills. Riflebirds are only found in the rainforests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. 

3. Common Raven: The most commonly known creepy bird thanks to Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven. Ravens are proven to be incredibly intelligent due to their sophisticated use of tools for foraging. They can even mimic sounds, such as human speech. With black feathers, black eyes and a beak capable of breaking skin, the raven is indeed terrifying. The common raven ranges over most of western and northern North America. 

4. Barn Owl: Silent, stealthy hunters that fly at night, owls have often been associated with magic, evil and death. J.K. Rowling depicts owls as reliant messengers for wizards and witches in the Harry Potter books. The barn owl’s soft feathers allow for silent flight so they can sneak up on any prey. 

5. Northern Shrike: Shrikes perch high in exposed trees with beady black eyes searching for food. Diving from high above, they often pick off insects, other birds and small mammals. Their scientific name, Lanius excubitor means “butcher watchman” in Latin. They are indeed butchers. The bill of the shrike is stout and curved, much like a fishhook. Shrikes are hunters of the tundra and taigas of Canada and the Northern US, but can be found as far as south of New Mexico during winter migration. 

6. Turkey Vulture: Scavengers that mostly feed on the dead, vultures have been feared in many cultures. In ancient Greece, the birds were considered bad luck. The turkey vulture has a 6-foot wingspan and distinctive red bald head. 

7. Common Loon: On a dark, summer’s night, a werewolf’s eerie call rings out…but wait! That’s not a werewolf, it’s a loon. Loons have a ghostly call that has long been associated with the supernatural. 

8. Harpy Eagle: With a 7-foot wingspan, you wouldn’t want to run into a harpy eagle when they’re hungry. Considered the largest and most powerful bird of prey in the world, they regularly feed on monkeys and sloths. Their sharp talons are larger than a grizzly’s bears. Harpy eagles are found in the rainforests of Central and South America. 

9. Vampire Finch: The Galapagos Islands are crawling with vampire finches. This finch uses its beak to peck at the tail-feathers of other birds, until it draws blood. Like a vampire, it then drinks the blood. 

10. Kookaburra: Kookaburras feed on snakes, insects, frogs and even rodents. The cry of Kookaburras has often been confused with human voices. It is native to Australia and New Guinea.