Residents of a North Yorkshire village in the UK have been terrorised by a vicious pheasant that lies in wait for children to get off the school bus before chasing them screaming.
The foul-tempered bird has launched a number of unprovoked attacks on men, women, children, prams, bikes, dogs and cars in Newsham, near Richmond.
Villager Joanne Metcalfe, a 31-year-old vet, said: “The pheasant followed me for three days running when I was out walking the dog. I didn’t take too much notice and I think it was spooked by the dog so it didn’t go for me. But I have heard about the attacks which sound terrible.”
Another villager said: “It frequents our garden. Whereas most of them will fly away, this one comes right at you. It even tried to get in the house once.”
According to Lyndsey Waddell, chairman of the National Gamekeepers Organisation, this behaviour can occur in a variety of birds as spring approaches and the breeding season starts.
“All the bird is doing is protecting what it considers to be its territory,” she said.
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
