Children left cowering in their homes because of flocks of divebombing birds of prey
Locals call for a cull of the birds as the red kites grow increasingly brazen in their quest for food
TERRIFIED children are refusing to leave their homes with aggressive birds of prey divebombing picnics and pedestrians to steal their food.
Calls to cull the birds have been sparked as the red kites become more brazen in their attacks in Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, with scenes reminiscent of Hitchcock’s The Birds.
The birds are divebombing picnics in desperate attempts to steal food, with their sharp claws often scratching their innocent victims.
Three-year-old Ava Edgar-Francis was one victim of the hungry birds, the little girl munching on a cupcake at a birthday party picnic in Wallington Park when a bird misjudged its swoop and scratched her on the head with its talons.
Mum Debbie Francis rushed her little girl home to treat the two deeps cuts but the three-year-old has been left terrified to leave the house.
Instead of enjoying the park with friends, little Ava is far too concerned with a repeat attack.
Ms Francis said: “It was horrendous, she was so upset. It just swooped in claws first.
“There was some bleeding and she had two huge claw marks on the back of her head.
“Now before Ava goes out she checks to see if there are any birds in the sky. There really needs to be a cull.”
Ms Francis said she had felt uneasy seeing the birds swarm overhead as the children played in the park.
She said: “I saw them all swarming overhead and I thought 'this doesn't look good'.”
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Fellow mum Natalie English, who was also at the party, said her daughter was also terrified that the birds would hurt her.
She said: “It was scary just watching the kites hovering over us, then when the kite came in to get food and in the process hurt Ava it was terrifying.”
“When I told my daughter we were going for a picnic my daughter asked 'will the birds hurt us?'
“She is still scared of what she saw.”
Ava’s big brother has also been targeted by the daring birds with 15-year-old Zach having his panini pinched from his hands while at Icknield Community College.
College business manager Luisa Howden said: “Obviously we are aware of the birds and if the situation gets any worse we will have to do something.”
Other Stokenchurch residents have reported terrifying incidents where food has been plucked from their hands.
Another Stokenchurch local, Michelle Evans, said: “My husband had a sandwich stolen from his hand, and my daughter had half a chocolate bar taken from her hand – both times close to their faces, and my daughter's hand was punctured by the claw.”
But others have jumped to the defence of the birds, saying the red kites had been encouraged after being fed by locals.
Sallie Sayers said: “This is the time of year when they will be most visible and looking for food to feed the young.
“We have taught them not to be afraid of us and that we are a food source, a dangerous message to wild animal.
“As always someone will end up asking for a cull and in my mind that would be an evil, criminal response to a problem we have caused.”
A Buckinghamshire community services spokesman said: “The RSPB suggest that it is unusual behaviour for birds of prey to harm people, and any incident will usually be related to the bird scavenging for food.
“Red kites have successfully been reintroduced in the Buckinghamshire area, but we would strongly recommend that people do not intentionally feed them, as this encourages them into urban areas and public spaces. The red kite is a protected species, and it is a criminal offence to injure or kill the birds or to take, damage or destroy their nests, eggs or young.”