Angry Bird in Oregon?
 

Anybody from the '41'? I thought bee's were bad enough..

PENDLETON, Ore. — Bicyclists in eastern Oregon say they're getting whacked on the head by an angry bird.

Riders in Pendleton, Ore., told the East Oregonian that a male hawk is dive-bombing them because they're too close to a nest he's guarding in an old cottonwood tree.

Bicyclist Mack Temple says the bird came in from behind like a fighter plane and whacked his helmet. Another rider, Charlie Newhouse, says the attack on his helmet was "like getting hit with a baseball bat." He says the talons went in through the helmet.

Bird-watchers say the large bird is a Swainson's hawk. The riders say he's been vigilant for a few nesting seasons, but hasn't been as aggressive as this year.

Bird-watchers say the hawk will ease up once his brood learns to fly.

I rode through Pendleton 2 summers ago and saw this happen to another person on our ride. Surprised the beejeebers out of all of us who saw it...dang thing seemed so large. Victim was fine and we watched the bird circle above as we rode away. He only dove once.

Thought you were talking about a new Apple app....Angry Birds in Oregon. :D

Sounds like September in Australia when the magpies become agressive.

In September here, a person can be dive-bombed by the magpies numerous times during a ride ... and there's a particularly agressive bird at an intersection on one of our favourite routes. That one will get us coming and going.

If you can't out run it, I suggest standing your ground with a tennis racket.

It would be pretty scary to get attacked, especially if you had no idea it was coming.

If I recall correctly a fellow was divebombed by a hawk while walking around MIT recently. He allmost lost an eye. They have since cordoned off quite a bit of space to set the bird a bit at ease.

I've been strafed by a few small birds, but unable to identify them. It is unnerving, as it is a complete surprise

It is ... and our magpies are reasonably large birds. Most of them swoop down and fly just above our heads, centimeters above our helmets, and they snap their beaks with a loud cracking sound. But some of them nail us on the helmet, neck, side of the face, etc.. They can dislodge a helmet and can draw blood.