Du Maurier narrates "The Birds" in the third person, yet the events are seen through the perspective of a single character, Nat. This solitary man resides on the English coast with his small family in a modest farming cottage. His ingenuity and cautious demeanor ensure his family's survival long enough to create a gripping tale. Additionally, he adds to du Maurier's exploration of how people psychologically react under extraordinary circumstances.

Having lived in harmony with nature his entire life, Nat believes he understands its rhythms well. When he first observes birds behaving unusually, he has numerous natural explanations. This illustrates a common human trait: relying on personal experience to rationalize and manage unfamiliar situations. This reaction is particularly understandable given his precarious position. When confronted with danger, Nat attempts to diminish it by making it more familiar and comprehensible.

Nat not only exemplifies the human tendency to rationalize unsettling appearances but also displays significant crowd control skills. He recognizes the stress impacting his wife and children, so he makes an effort to channel their anxiety into productive activities. In a way, Nat acts as a surrogate author, stepping back from the crisis to assess it objectively. He remains calm and composed throughout, critiquing the foolishness of his neighbors and the growing fear of his wife and children.

The Trigg family serves as a contrast to Nat’s family. They are close neighbors with a similar background. However, the Triggs fail to acknowledge the severity of a crisis beyond their experience. Having spent their lives dominating the birds, they struggle to accept the reversal of roles. When the birds begin to swarm, Mr. Trigg responds by grabbing his shotgun and heading out for a shooting spree, rather than seeking shelter as Nat does. The Triggs thus symbolize human hubris or excessive pride, unable or unwilling to envision a world where they do not dominate other species.

Jill Hocken
Jill is used to intensify the story's tension, but her character is more fully developed than her brother's. She remains quite frightened of the birds throughout most of the narrative, especially after witnessing her brother's and father's injuries. Jill also senses her parents' anxiety, which amplifies her own fears. Despite this, she shows a childlike resilience; the day after the initial attack, she plays with carefree abandon, ‘‘dancing’’ ahead of her father and ‘‘chasing the leaves’’ on their way to the bus. Both she and her brother find joy during the rough ride home from the Trigg farm.

Johnny Hocken
Johnny, much like his sister, serves to heighten the story's tension and highlight one of its central themes. His initial injury instills a deep sense of dread in his parents and drives them to do everything possible to protect their children. Like Jill, Johnny exhibits a child's resilience.

Mrs. Hocken
Mrs. Hocken is portrayed as a stereotypical ‘‘weak woman’’ and lacks depth, which may explain why du Maurier never gives her a name. While she comforts her children and attempts to shield them from frightening thoughts, she appears nearly as terrified as they are, displaying a childlike sense of insecurity and fear. She refuses to stay in the house with the children when Nat decides to go for supplies and never shows the same confidence in their survival that her husband possesses.

Nat Hocken
Nat Hocken's wartime disability grants him a pension, allowing him to work part-time at the Trigg's farm to support his wife and two children. Trigg assigns him lighter tasks on the farm, which he performs efficiently. Nat is known for being a solitary man. Between his chores, he often pauses to look out at the sea surrounding the farmland and observe the birds' movements.

His nature makes him highly observant of his environment. He is the first in the area to recognize the threat posed by the birds, having always closely monitored their behavior. Nat quickly assesses the situation, realizing that the nighttime attack is just the beginning and determining the materials and supplies necessary for his family's survival. He is also a realist, immediately grasping the perilous situation they are in and the challenges the authorities will face in eliminating the birds.

Nat maintains his composure in stressful situations, concentrating entirely on safeguarding his family both physically and emotionally. When the birds invade the children's bedroom, he immediately ushers the children out before confronting the birds himself. Upon witnessing the gulls flocking inland, his first concern is his daughter's safety, prompting him to rush to the bus stop to retrieve her. At home, he consistently endeavors to comfort and reassure his family, insisting they will be safe as he fortifies the house with barricades. Even at the story's conclusion, with minimal hope of rescue and isolated from neighbors and the outside world, Nat does not let fear overwhelm him. He persists in doing everything possible to ensure their survival.

His compassion is evident as he comforts his family, shielding them from additional distress. He refrains from telling them about the birds breaking into the bedroom and tries to lift their spirits when they hear birds dropping dead outside the door. To distract them, he transforms the situation into a game for Jill and Johnny, suggesting they will camp out in the kitchen for the night. When he notices no smoke coming from his neighbors’ chimneys, he regrets not bringing all the children home with him to ensure their safety.

Jim
Jim is responsible for tending to the cows on the Trigg's farm. He harbors a dislike for Nat because of Nat's reputation for reading books and acting "superior." Consequently, he shows no interest in conversing with Nat when he comes to warn his neighbors about the birds. Jim dismisses Nat's warning, as "it took time for anything to penetrate Jim's head." He is ultimately killed during the birds' attack on the Trigg's farm.

Mr. Trigg
Mr. Trigg owns the farm where Nat works. When Nat attempts to alert him to the imminent danger, Mr. Trigg and his wife treat "the whole business as he would an elaborate joke." Trigg epitomizes the typical citizen who would not take such a threat seriously, trusting in the authorities for protection and in their own resilience. He assures Nat that he will shoot the birds from the sky and invites him to come over the next morning for "a gull breakfast." Consequently, Trigg takes no measures to protect himself or his wife, leading to their deaths at the hands of the birds.

Mrs. Trigg
Like her husband, Mrs. Trigg does not believe Nat's warning.