Under attack: Hungry crows dive-bombing students, staff at Acadia University

It's lunchtime on the Acadia University campus.

But despite the inviting green grass and the long-anticipated spring sunshine, people are reluctant to bring their food outside.

That's because staff, faculty and students all know what happens if they're not careful because the university in Wolfville, N.S., is under attack.

The culprit? Crows.

The birds perch on benches andflock from tree to tree,their shiny beaks poised at the ready, just waiting for someone to carry food out in the open.

"Crows are rather aggressive this time of year," said Scott Roberts, director of communications at Acadia. "They're hungry, they're feeding their young. So be careful, because they're on the move."

Last week, the university issued a statementwarning people about close encounters.

"We've had incidents in the past where crows have dive-bombed and actually made contact with people," Roberts said.

The school receives six to 10 reports of run-ins with birds each year.

Roberts has even witnessed it himself, citing one incident where a young woman was walking up University Avenue.

"I heard her screech and looked up and she was waving her hands over her head," he said. "The crow was after her muffin that she had in her hand. So it's very common and, in fact, people here are used to it."

Roberts has a few precautions people can take:don't walk around carrying food anddon't wear objects or clothing that's shiny.

"And if it's extreme, carry an umbrella over your head," he said.

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