For over a month, a tiny English village looked less like a postcard and more like a scene from The Birds. The unlikely villain? A rogue Harris’ hawk that seemed to have an issue with bald heads, baseball caps, and… well, anyone walking outside.
Approximately 50 people reportedly suffered attacks, with one old man even landing in the hospital. The hawk, described as unusually aggressive, would dive from the sky, snatch hats off heads, and in some cases, leave bleeding wounds behind. Local kids gave it nicknames like “The Dive-Bomber” and “Feathers of Fury.”
Old People Targeted, Mail Delayed
It wasn’t just random attacks either. Residents noticed a pattern—the hawk seemed particularly keen on swooping down on older people. Jim Hewitt, 75, said the bird “came out of nowhere and whacked me in the head like it had something personal against me.” He was treated at a local hospital for injuries.
Things got so out of hand that some villagers started wearing motorcycle helmets to walk their dogs or check the mailbox. The local post office temporarily halted deliveries after a carrier narrowly escaped being clawed mid-route.
“Honestly, we thought someone had trained it as a prank,” one resident said. “Turns out it just had a serious attitude problem.”
Captured After 4 Weeks of Chaos
After nearly a month of chaos, the hawk was finally caught, without tranquilizers or animal control. Local resident Steve Harris managed to trap the bird in his own garden, using a baited humane trap and a bit of luck. He teamed up with professional falconer Alan Greenhalgh and safely removed the hawk.
An experienced handler known only as Wayne (yes, just Wayne) has taken over care of the bird and will reportedly keep it away from populated areas.
Why the Attacks?
Harris’s hawks aren’t typically aggressive toward humans. Experts suspect a former owner either released or lost the hawk, which people often train for falconry because of its intelligence and calm nature. Once out on its own, hunger, stress, or territorial behavior likely triggered the bizarre string of attacks.
Whatever the cause, the village of Flamstead is breathing a sigh of relief.
“I haven’t worn a helmet outside in three days,” one resident said. “That’s progress.”
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