The Stymphalian birds were fierce creatures belonging to Ares, the Greek god of war. They had metal quills, brass claws, poisonous poop, and a taste for human flesh. Hercules defeated them as part of his 12 labors, using cymbals from Athena to scare them away. The birds migrated after the battle and did not return.
The Stymphalian birds were a crew of tough clients belonging to Ares, the Greek god of war. These birds were apparently extremely ferocious and unpleasant, and were eventually eradicated from Greece by the hero Hercules, as part of his 12 labors, a series of demanding tasks which he undertook as an act of atonement. Luckily for the Greeks, Hercules successfully routed the birds permanently and they have not returned since.
Several things made the Stymphalian birds quite distinctive. The first was their sharp metal quills, which could be hurled by birds like spears. The birds also had heavy brass claws and poisonous poop. They also had a fondness for human flesh, although most legends said they would be content with cattle like cattle in a pinch. To say the least, it would appear that Ares had an unusual taste in pets.
According to some accounts, the Stymphalian birds attacked the Argonauts during their journeys with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece. Despite being interrupted by a series of travails, the Argonauts eventually succeeded in their task, restoring Jason to his place on the throne.
Birds appear most frequently in stories about the labors of Hercules. According to legend, they migrated from their usual home to Lake Stymphalia, where they camped in the swamps and thick woods of the region. Something in the environment must have been favorable to the birds, as they rapidly began breeding and terrorizing the region. Stymphalian birds destroyed homes and gardens, attacked livestock, and chased humans when they could catch them.
Their reign of terror was ended by Hercules, who was ordered to defeat the Stymphalian birds as his sixth task. Upon reaching the site of the colony, Hercules realized that this task would be extremely difficult, as he could not walk in the swamps near the lake and the forest where the birds roosted was so thick it was pitch black, making it impossible to hunt. The goddess Athena took pity on Hercules, lending him a pair of cymbals which she could use to scare away flying birds, allowing them to shoot them.
According to most legends, Hercules failed to kill all of the Stymphalian birds, but he did kill enough to spur the birds to migrate. Eventually, the surviving birds returned to their master Ares, who was no doubt glad to see them.
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