An idyllic forest path on the outskirts of Hildrizhausen, a municipality in Baden-Württemberg. It is quiet, tree trunks lie to the right and left of the path waiting to be transported away, every now and then a bird chirps. A jogger makes her way through the puddles of the past few days. She will remember the day for a long time.
“According to my watch, I had only covered one and a half kilometers and was going really well when I suddenly felt a heavy blow to the back of my head,” says Anja Beck-Bessler. At first she thought it was a ball. “When I touched my head, my hands were bloody.”
Then she saw a bird of prey above her head. What the 51-year-old experienced was an attack by a buzzard. Apparently not an isolated incident in the forests in the area.
Buzzards breed in forest areas that are also frequented by people. This proximity occasionally leads to encounters – and problems. In the months of May and June, says forester Kathrin Klein from the ForstBW forestry company, the bird parents care for their young in the nest.
During this time, the adult birds are tied to their breeding territory and defend it against any danger. When the young birds are already making their first attempts at flying and spending time on the ground with their parents as so-called fledglings, the adults protect their brood even more vigorously.
“The situation described is typical and fits the season perfectly,” says Stefan Bosch, who is the specialist for ornithology and bird protection at the Baden-Württemberg regional association of the Nabu. Kathrin Klein agrees that such attacks are rare, but they do occur again and again, especially in early summer.
Eight to nine years ago, there were even regular attacks by a buzzard in Waldenbuch near the Braunäcker hiking car park, she recalls. “But we haven’t received any reports of this since 2020.”
Two years ago, a buzzard also kept joggers in Hildrizhausen on their toes. In the past two weeks, our editorial team has also received reports of several attacks from Sauschwänzleweg near Hildrizhausen.
Most of the time, the bird of prey would just brush the head of its victim from behind and fly away. But there are also cases where the buzzard is said to have attacked the same person several times.
This was also the case with Anja Beck-Bessler. She was deeply shocked by the sudden attack. The fact that she was alone in the forest was a coincidence. “My friend had canceled on me shortly before because of the bad weather.” She remembers that she had not heard the buzzard coming. “I didn’t have headphones in, but I didn’t notice anything – no noise, no screaming.”
Immediately after the attack, the bird of prey flew back into the trees. The 51-year-old turned around to run home quickly when the buzzard struck again. This time she saw it coming, fended it off with her arms and called out loudly.
According to bird expert Bosch, it is absolutely typical for the animals to attack from behind. “Since the buzzards fly directly at forest visitors and also from behind, it can of course be quite frightening if a bird of prey suddenly approaches from behind.”
But: “Years ago I did an analysis of press releases on the Internet. Most of the injuries described were minor, such as scratches or bruises. Serious injuries are rare.”
For Anja Beck-Bessler, the encounter with the bird of prey also ended relatively well: she describes a crack in her scalp and a buzzing in her head that lasted until the next day. “It felt like someone had slapped me,” she says.
But what can joggers do to prevent a bird of prey attack? “We advise that during the nesting season, you temporarily respect the buzzards’ nursery, be considerate and, if possible, avoid jogging in the forest area in question,” says Stefan Bosch. Without knowing the birds, he cannot say exactly how long the nesting season lasts for the buzzards on the path between Schönbuchschule and Kohltor. It usually lasts a month.
“This year, many birds are breeding earlier than usual,” says Bosch. It is therefore a good idea to avoid the forest path until the beginning of July. If necessary, the forestry department can also temporarily close affected sections.
If avoiding the path is not an option, some measures can make attacks less likely. According to the consistent statements of those attacked, it seems as if the buzzard does not come when several people are walking together and talking. “Hikers can also use a stick or branch held high above their heads to ward off attacks,” says Stefan Bosch.
The birds would attack the highest point and thus miss the person. “However, only to hold the bird up, not to hit it. That would be a violation of the current protection regulations.” Bird experts agree that once the nestling period is over, the haunting should stop, “because the buzzard is otherwise a harmless animal,” emphasises Kathrin Klein.
Distribution The buzzard is one of the most common birds of prey according to the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). It can be seen all year round and is often seen sitting on fence posts or road signs. It likes to nest on the edges of forests and thus often comes into contact with people. It eats small mammals such as voles, rabbits and moles. Amphibians and small reptiles, but occasionally small birds and carrion are also on the menu. It is not considered to be endangered.
Appearance Common buzzards can grow up to 58 centimetres long and have a wingspan of up to 1.30 metres. Their colouring can vary greatly – from almost white to dark brown. The tail, however, is always white-grey with grey stripes.
By Julia Theermann
The original of this article “Aggressive buzzard attacks jogger: Bird expert explains attacks from behind” comes from STUTTGARTER ZEITUNG.
