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Hawk That Terrorised Hertfordshire Village for Weeks Finally Caught
After weeks of fear and confusion in a quiet Hertfordshire village, residents can finally breathe a sigh of relief—the rogue hawk that had been terrorising the community has been captured.
The bird of prey, believed to be a Harris’s hawk, had been swooping down on unsuspecting locals, attacking pets, and causing widespread concern among villagers in Little Hadham. Numerous sightings had been reported since early March, with residents describing the hawk’s behaviour as “brazen” and “aggressive.”
Dog walkers, in particular, were warned to avoid open fields, with several claiming the hawk had attempted to snatch small dogs. One local, Jane Liddell, said she was left “shaken” after the bird swooped at her terrier during a morning walk. “It came out of nowhere. If I hadn’t picked up Buster in time, who knows what could’ve happened,” she said.
Several wildlife experts speculated the hawk may have escaped from captivity, possibly from a private falconer. Its unusually bold behaviour towards humans and domesticated animals suggested it had been hand-reared.
Efforts to catch the hawk had been underway for more than two weeks. A team of bird handlers and local volunteers used food lures, decoy birds, and even a drone equipped with a speaker emitting hawk calls to track its movements. On Wednesday morning, the hawk was finally caught after it landed on a baited perch in a local orchard.
“We’re relieved to have caught the bird without harm,” said falconer Graham Peters, who led the capture operation. “It was clearly disoriented and becoming increasingly desperate for food. Thankfully, we were able to act before it caused serious injury.”
The hawk is now being examined by a vet and is in good health. Authorities are working to trace its owner and determine whether any laws were broken. While it is legal to own a Harris’s hawk in the UK, the RSPCA has urged better regulation around exotic and potentially dangerous birds.
As peace returns to the village, residents have praised the community’s efforts. “It’s been a strange few weeks,” said local councillor Linda Hodge. “But it just shows how even in the countryside, wildlife can surprise us. Hopefully, this is the last we’ll see of it—at least from this close.”
Attached is a news article regarding the hawk that was attacking people in Hertfordshire village for weeks
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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