By: Taya Nabuurs
Students are keeping a sharp lookout overhead after multiple reports of mischievous crows attacking people as they walk across campus have surfaced. The majority of reports are coming from females who have had their hair clawed at just outside of Main Building.
Fifth year Arts major, Emma Johnson, recounts her own encounter with the malicious crows: “I was on my way to class Wednesday morning, with breakfast in hand, when a crow landed on my head. This was outside if the main building. The crow wouldn’t stop diving toward me and latching onto my hair, as I believe that it wanted my food. I managed to get away by running into the building.”
After reaching out to students to investigate the situation further, it quickly became apparent that this is not the first time UPEI has seen similar issues. Multiple accounts describe attacks of a similar nature that occurred last year.
“Last year as I was walking through the quad on the way to class in Main Building, a crow swooped down and grabbed my hair in its talons. It dive bombed me two more times as I shrieked and ran to class,” describes Alicia Snair. Third year chemistry major, Jessica Watts, recalls an encounter last year where a crow followed her all the way from the Student Union building to the Duffy Science Centre, diving and swooping at her head the whole way.
However, it seems that this year the crows have been focusing their attacks primarily on the pathways in front of Main Building, with only one reported incident this year occurring outside of that area. Recently, a video surfaced on Facebook in which a student is seen struggling to keep her cinnamon roll away from the crow which continues to stalk her and dive at her head just outside of the Health Sciences Building. The incident was caught on camera by students watching the drama unfold from inside the building.
A growing fear for personal safety has been spreading across campus as word travels about the malevolent crows. “Long story short, I’m scared of birds now,” admits third year Family Sciences major Haley O’Connor, who recalls thinking that someone had grabbed at her hair, only to discover that it was bird talons she felt graze her scalp.
We’ll have more to come as we try to uncover more about these crows and their motives here at UPEI. Stay tuned for updates as the drama unfolds.
Please keep an eye out, everyone. These crows know no mercy. Stay safe.