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Ferenc Square in the 9th District of Budapest had to be closed off from the public due to serious crow attacks. The problem is also present in other parts of the country, with an elderly woman in Tatabánya (northwest of Budapest) hospitalized after an attack by the birds.
The local government of the 9th District has decided to close Ferenc Square due to the large number of crow attacks recently. In response to an inquiry from Telex, local government spokesperson Dorottya Czuk said that it is practically impossible to relocate the hooded crows, so they decided to close the square instead. Even if the nests and chicks were moved somewhere else, the parent birds would not be able to find the new location and would not return to the nest, which would mean certain death for the chicks.
Videos of crows attacking citizens in Prishtina are going viral.
From Jan to May, 30 people were reportedly hospitalized due to crow attacks.pic.twitter.com/lGpJD6FDaj
— kos_data (@kos_data) October 30, 2024
Another problem is approaching the nests, which is not an easy task since the birds build their fairly stable nests in the highest trees, among the most difficult to reach, unclimbable, pointed branches. The removal of the nests alone could could cost up to hundreds of thousands of forints per nest. Moreover, this method alone is completely ineffective, as the birds would almost immediately build new nests to replace the destroyed ones, according to the local government.
The spokesperson highlighted that
the crow attacks are only temporary, lasting until the chicks begin to fly. However, they are still clumsy and often unable to fly properly, so they remain near the nest for a week or two.
During this time, the parents protect their fledglings, but as soon as they grow up and can fly safely, the problem disappears on its own. Therefore, the most effective protection is to fence off the nests for this period (up to two weeks) and avoid the area, Czuk explained to Telex.
The closure was since reportedly terminated, according to a post in a local Facebook group, Közkéz IX. They wrote that a city maintenance worker had visited the site and determined that the danger appeared to have been averted. According to the post, the district’s Children’s Day event was planned to be held there over the weekend.
Crow attacks seem to be present in other parts of the country as well. In Tatabánya, an elderly woman was walking home when a bird attacked her, kemma.hu reported. In panic, she covered her eyes with her hands to prevent the animal from scratching them out. She also started waving her hands, as a result of which she got wounded on her hand and head as well.
The crow even bit the woman on the back when she tried to run away. The victim had to be hospitalized after the terrifying attack.
According to experts, in the event of a crow attack, we should face the animal (do not run away), spread our arms to make ourselves look bigger and more frightening, and even shout at the bird. In the case of more aggressive crows, feel free to use any bags, handbags, light backpacks, coats, or umbrellas within reach.
Via Telex, kemma.hu; Featured photo via Pixabay