A divebombing hawk has caused mayhem in a Hertfordshire village as it targets unsuspecting tall men, swooping down to attack their heads.
The bird, which is usually native to Brazil, Argentina and Chile, is now responsible for an estimated 20 violent attacks over the last two weeks after a “sudden change in behaviour”.
The Harris hawk has been sighted several times in the historic parish village of Flamstead, with professionals and local falconers recruited in an attempt to bring the bird under control.
Speaking to The Times, Roy Lambden, 68, said he was out walking when he “felt a whack” on his head, and soon realised he was bleeding.
“It was only from the corner of my eye that I realised it was a bird because I saw it fly away,” he said.
“I was one of the first to be hit by it. Since then, around 20 people I know have been attacked. Lots of bleeding heads — my friend who is bald has got two scars from it.”
It is unknown where the Harris hawk has come from, with the local zoo in Whipsnade confirming it was not one of theirs. While the bird is native to South America, it can also be kept privately in the UK.
One other local, Paul Boys, 64, has taken to wearing a hat to avoid being injured again by the pesky bird.
At the time, he was gardening when the hawk “struck up from behind and boofed me on the head”.
“I wasn’t seriously injured but some people have had serious cuts,” he said.
Neighbour police patrolling the area told villagers that all the reports they had received had come from “tall men around the ages of 40 and 60”.
Whipsnade Zoo advised residents to contact “the RSPB or British Bird Council for advice at this stage, and our birdkeepers will be on standby to help if they need us”.
“Birds of prey aren’t actively hostile towards humans, but may attack if provoked or if they feel threatened if a person got too close,” it added. “We do not recommend feeding birds of prey.”
There are believed to be thousands of Harris hawks in the UK, but only a few are known to be living in the wild.
Their high intelligence has made them popular for falconry, with trained birds used to remove unwanted pigeon populations from Trafalgar Square and tennis courts at Wimbledon.
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