For his sixth labor, Heracles was instructed to get rid of the Stymphalian Birds. These terrible man-eating birds had feathers made of metal that could be launched at prey, and brass claws. When they had been hunted by a pack of hungry wolves, the birds fled to Lake Stymphalus, where they quickly made themselves at home. At the lake, they bred and multiplied, and proceeded to kill the crops and landscape, along with plenty of people.
Unfortunately for Heracles, the wooded area surrounding the lake was think and dark, and quite difficult to see and maneuver through. To offer assistance, Athena and Hephaestus forged a set of giant bronze clappers, which Heracles used to frighten the birds into flight. He then shot them down, ridding Greece of the pests for good.
