BIRDS THAT ATTACK MEN

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1926, Page 4

BIRDS THAT ATTACK MEN

(Oliver 0. Pike, F.Z.S., F.IU’.S.)

Tint bird which attacked a man at midnight in the'Liixiilyan Valley, Cornwall. a few days ago was probably a brown owl. It is unusual for human beings to he attacked at this tint-? of the year by this bold defender of her home, but in the nesting season it is

< lll ito a common occurrence. More than once I have keen violently assaulted by the female brown owl in daylight. If I had .not defended mv.'jilf the flesh would have been torn from mv bauds. A friend of niiii£ was walking home through a Welsh nine one dark night in the spring, when he was suddenly attacked from behind. TTo received a stinging blow ou his head and his hat was sent flying into flte darkness. He quickly turned, flung off his coat, and called upon his adversary to “come on.” But there was a silence, and peering into the night, lie saw nothing. The following morning lie went to the same spot to recover Ins hat. Directly he replaced it upon his head he was alga i n attacked. This time he was able to .see that- his enemy was a brown owl with two young birds in her nest beside the lane. The buzzard will also attack intruders when it lots young, I knew one Welsh pair which were very hold. It was an exciting adventure to go near their nest, for the great birds would rise to a good height, then come swooping down to within a few feet. 'the most exciting adventure I ever had with a bird came when a friend and I el ini hod up a steep piece of loose shite-cliff to a ravens’ nest which contained throe young ones. Wo sat on a- narrow ledge which was just wide enough for us, with our legs dangling over the side. Directly we settled the hen rose to about ISO feet, above us, then came down like a great black dart right at our faces, checking her- j self only a yard away. Time after | time she attacked, once striking my i companion on his head and knocking I his cap over, the cliff. For tivo hours J wo sat there, the furious bird attacking : all th? time and uttering wild cries! I