Jogger's terror as 'berserk' buzzard strikes

A JOGGER has told how she suffered head injuries after being repeatedly attacked on her morning run - by a buzzard.

• Mary couldn't escape the buzzard's attentions

Mary Little, 49, was left bleeding from a gash on her head following the early morning aerial bombardment at Linlithgow Loch.

Ms Little was forced to duck for cover each time the bird dive-bombed and said she believes the winged predator was attracted to her hair.

Experts say such an attack is very rare by a bird of prey, especially as it is not nesting season and may simply be an animal that has "gone berserk".

"It was really scary and like something from the film The Birds," she said. "I have been running for 20 years and have never had anything like that happen before.

"I was jogging along a quiet track with my earphones in when all of a sudden I felt a terrible thud on the back of my head.

"I wasn't really sure what had happened but it felt like something really heavy had hit me.

"I didn't see it coming at all but I saw the bird flying away and on to a high tree.

"It was huge and brown with big wings. I thought maybe it felt threatened so started walking but then it swooped again and I had to duck so started running again.

"It was really going for me and twice just missed me - it was really quite terrifying. After a while I was thinking, what if it doesn't stop?

"By the time I got to the top of the hill I was a little bit hysterical. I was ducking out of the way each time it came for me but didn't want to put my hands up to protect my head because I thought it would tear my hands to shreds.

"My heart was beating so fast. I have never ran so fast in all my life."

Ms Little, a reflexologist based in Linlithgow High Street, said the ordeal last Thursday left her shocked but not badly hurt.

She said: "It wasn't too painful and it didn't give me a headache or anything. I didn't even realise I was bleeding until I came back into the town and someone stopped me to say there was blood coming from my head.

"Apparently it was not nesting because it was too early for that and someone suggested it may have been attracted to my hair thinking it was something to eat.

"I saw the same type of bird a few days later and a friend said they thought it was a buzzard."

An RSPB spokesperson said: "Incidents like this are extremely rare and in this case it's all the more unusual because buzzards are not nesting yet. In previous times I have heard of this it has been nesting season when you have an overly protective bird.

"There are suggestions it may in fact be an escaped bird or one that was used in falconry that's used to humans and has gone a bit berserk. Normally they do everything they can to stay away from humans."

Ms Little has now vowed to take another route for her morning runs.

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