Pyrrhic Victory

Birds wading in the water seem so at ease, do they also have unknowable troubles? Like they have nothing to eat, or their nests are too weak, or there are predators watching. Regardless, they know better than me how to survive. The only social problem they'll encounter is competition for resources, which of course boils down to survival. Whether they compete by spreading their wings, raising their long legs to attack each other, or pecking with sharp beaks, they can't win too easily. Pyrrhic victories must be common for them. Will they be happy after they win such a miserable victory, or will they retreat in shame? I've also won a Pyrrhic victory, and now I'm drowning in regret, with no way to return to the safety of my nest...