The Symphalian Birds (or Ornithes Stymphalides) were a flock of man-eating birds that lived around Lake Stymphalis in Arkadia. These birds were created by Stymphalos and Ornis.
Mythology
The sixth labour of Herakles was to slay these birds. With the help of the goddess Athena, he used a set of small cymbals (or in some versions Castanets or a rattle) to disrupt the birds. He then shot a great majority of them one-by-one with either his bow and arrow or a sling. The remaining birds flew off never to be heard from again.
Trivia
- These birds were closely identified with the Arean Birds.
- Some say that these birds were made out of metal.
- These birds may have been turned into constellations.
- These birds were said to be sacred to Ares.
Herakles kills the Symphalic Bird (Albrecht Dürer, 1520)
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