Flamstead hawk finally captured after terrorising village

A Harris’s hawk that has been repeatedly attacking villagers has been captured by a resident with the identical title.

Steve Harris, 40, informed the BBC he had managed to humanely catch the hawk in his backyard in Flamstead, Hertfordshire.

The hen, which is believed to have escaped from captivity, swooped on an estimated 50 folks in current weeks, drawing blood from several victims.

“It is a aid for us and the entire village,” stated Mr Harris, whose kids had been unable to make use of the again backyard after the hawk took up residence in one in every of their timber.

Residents within the village initially reported being attacked by the hen early final month with a video showing the moment it swooped down on a person.

Close by Whipsnade Zoo confirmed the hen was not theirs, however stated it will not be “actively hostile towards people” until it felt threatened.

Royal Mail additionally confirmed postal deliveries had been disrupted by the hen because it continued to assault folks.

Extra not too long ago an aged man was treated in hospital when the hawk drew blood on his head.

“Each morning, we get up and see it up within the tree, getting braver and braver,” Mr Harris continued.

“I have been working from dwelling watching it, pondering we have to get this hen gone.”

Mr Harris stated he acted spontaneously to seize the hen on Thursday morning.

“It had been chasing me across the village once I went for a run, and once I obtained again it flew right down to the highest of my shed.

“The falconer had left me a cage. I used to be utilizing it to guard myself and I obtained courageous sufficient when the hen was a couple of foot away, and I threw it excessive of it, trapping it.

“I screamed out for the falconer to return and assist, and he got here and tamed it.”

Alan Greenhalgh, a falconer from the realm, helped Mr Harris lure the hen and informed BBC Radio 4’s Immediately Programme he noticed it “terrorising two or three folks”.

“Steve got here working out of his backyard, ‘Fast, fast, fast, I feel I’ve obtained it’,” he defined.

“I bumped into Steve’s backyard and the hen was having a go at him once more… we managed to pay money for it earlier than it obtained unfastened and fortuitously in any other case we might have been again to sq. one.”

Mr Greenhalgh theorised the hen was a younger male and “hormonal”, doubtlessly being the rationale behind the assaults.

He added the hen was “as fats as a barrel” after villagers had tried to catch it with meals over the weeks.

Fellow falconer Wayne is now caring for the hawk, which is a non-native South American species.

Wayne, who declined to offer his final title, stated the hawk had been raised in captivity and the dried-out leather-based tags on its ft instructed “he is been unfastened for over a 12 months”.

Jim Hewitt was the person taken to hospital coated in blood after he felt a “smack” on the again of his head whereas strolling to the store.

The 75-year-old stated he was “delighted” the hawk had been caught, and had vowed: “I will not get crushed by a poxy hen.”

Mr Harris stated the state of affairs had began to change into harmful.

“I obtained whacked over the top yesterday attempting to get into my automobile… it was attending to the stage the place it was attacking folks with consistency.”

Flamstead Parish Council thanked Mr Harris for his “fast pondering”, which noticed the hen “trapped shortly and safely”.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police stated that whereas police had not led the response to the assaults, a “low-level presence has been maintained within the space”.

“Rural specialist Particular Chief Inspector Steve Meredith has been facilitating communication with knowledgeable businesses and native companions to attempt to convey the state of affairs to a secure conclusion,” the pressure stated.

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