Residents of a village in Hertfordshire, England have recently been under attack by a Harris’s hawk, causing distress among them. Fortunately, a man from the village managed to capture the bird of prey. Interestingly, the man goes by the name Harris, coincidentally sharing the same name as the hawk.
According to reports from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), over the past few weeks, the village of Flamstead has been plagued by a Harris’s hawk. This hawk, native to the Americas, is not a local species.
The hawk, believed to have escaped from its owner, had attacked around 50 people in the village, resulting in several injuries. Just recently, an elderly person had to be hospitalized for head injuries sustained during an attack.
The nearby Whipsnade Zoo confirmed that the hawk does not belong to them but mentioned that it would not display aggressive behavior towards humans unless it feels threatened.
The postal service in the area also confirmed disruptions in mail delivery due to the continued attacks by the hawk on people.
Amid the escalating threat, a 40-year-old resident named Harris took it upon himself to capture the hawk on April 3, bringing relief to the entire village.
Harris told the BBC that ever since the hawk began roosting in a tree in his backyard, his children were unable to play there. He expressed, “We would wake up every morning to find it in the tree, becoming bolder. I have been watching it from home, and I felt we needed to get rid of the bird.”
He mentioned that the hawk would chase him around the village. A falconer named Alan Greenhalgh provided him with a cage, which Harris used to protect himself. When the hawk came within about 1 foot (0.3 meters) from him, he trapped it in the cage. He then called out for Greenhalgh’s assistance to help tame the bird.
Greenhalgh stated that the hawk is a young male and may have exhibited aggressive behavior due to hormonal influences.
He added that villagers had been trying to lure the hawk with food over the past few weeks, causing it to become “as fat as a barrel”.
Another falconer currently caring for the hawk mentioned that based on the dry leg band, it has been on the run for over a year.
The local council commended Harris for his “quick thinking,” which led to the “swift and safe capture” of the hawk.