Peter Latham wonders about the training of the birds for Hitchcock's eponymous
film.
 
The birds themselves were trained by animal trainer Ray Berwick and combined
 with
animation and matting effects.  Acting was an element as well.  Consider the
following, which is Hitch's reply to Truffaut's question about the gull attack
on the garage attendant:
 
"That was a live gull thrown from a very high platform off screen.   It was
 trained
to go from one place to another by plying just above the man's head.  He's an
expert on movements and he overplayed his reactions to give the impression
that he'd been hit by the gull."
 
 
Hope that is helpful.
 
Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN)
 
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