How is Nat Hocken a hero in the story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier?

In "The Birds," Nat Hocken is heroic because he is a fearless leader. Nat proves this when the birds attack his home for the first time. Despite being attacked by the birds on his window-sill, for example, Nat goes directly to his children's bedroom to protect them. After sending the children out of the room and into a passage, Nat faces the birds head-on and alone:

He seized a blanket from the nearest bed and,...

In "The Birds," Nat Hocken is heroic because he is a fearless leader. Nat proves this when the birds attack his home for the first time. Despite being attacked by the birds on his window-sill, for example, Nat goes directly to his children's bedroom to protect them. After sending the children out of the room and into a passage, Nat faces the birds head-on and alone:

He seized a blanket from the nearest bed and, using it as a weapon, flung it to right and left about him in the air…How long he fought with them in the darkness he could not tell.

In addition, Nat is also heroic because he constantly reassures his family that they will be safe. In the aftermath of this attack, for instance, Nat soothes his wife by making her a cup of tea and distracts his children by maintaining their daily routine, like making breakfast and getting them washed. He also accompanies Jill to the school bus to ensure that she is safe. Furthermore, he removes all of the dead birds from outside of his house so that it does not upset or scare his family.

Nat continues to lead his family throughout the rest of the story. He does so despite his wartime disability, thereby demonstrating his commitment to the protection of those around him. It is this character trait which makes him truly heroic.