He may look elegant as he struts the streets. But a stalking pheasant dubbed Phil is making feathers fly in a quiet estate in Costessey.
He has been lingering around the estate since the end of December and attacks to date include drawing blood from a postman’s face, chasing cars along with pecking and jumping at residents.
Sonya Bolton, 28, who has lived on the estate for five months, said: “It seems to be the postman that he really doesn’t like, he’s also followed my husband across the estate, he has stalker-ish tendencies.”
The bird fluffs up the residents’ feathers throughout the day before retreating back to the woodland in the evening.
Mrs Bolton said: “At first I thought he might have been a little bit of a man hater but I know other female residents have had a problem with him to.
“It’s got to the point where he could really start causing damage, he sometimes pecks at the front doors and at people’s vehicles.
“He pinned the postman up against our front door while he was trying to deliver a letter, I just heard this bang and wondered what was going on.
The postman, Daniel Gegaj has only been able to deter the bird by spraying vinegar at it, he said: “I first started to notice him chasing the van a couple of months ago, I thought he amazing so I crouched down to take a better look at him, he flew and clawed my face.
“It’s now got to the point where I’m very wary of him, I don’t want to bring any harm to him.”
The RSPCA and RSPB can only intervene if an animal is in danger or injured, meaning residents may have to deal with Phil until he gets bored and moves on.
A spokesperson from the RSPCA said: “Pheasants, like many wild animals are a territorial species and will defend their territory - particularly during the mating season.
“Unfortunately for now there may not be much the poor postman can do - other than try to stay out of the pheasant’s way.”
