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Birds Pecking, Following Retirement Community Members

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BOCA RATON (CBSMiami) -- Residents in a South Florida retirement community are ducking for cover after they said nesting birds are becoming increasingly aggressive.

The dive bombing Northern Mockingbirds have been known to peck and follow some residents in a section of Boca Raton's Century Village off Lyons Road.

"I was going to open my car door and they swooped down on my head. I was running for my life," said resident Denise Weinstein.

Fay Feldman said a mockingbird pecked her.

"It landed on me and opened its mouth. I didn't know what it would do to my eyes or head," said Feldman.

These are Florida's state bird and protected so they can't be touched. The birds are nesting and become very territorial with their young.

"I could deal better with alligators," said Weinstein.

Resident Susan Mintz won't go anywhere without her giant fly swatter she uses to shoo away attacking birds.

"They are like kamikaze planes," said Mintz.

It's believed once the young birds leave their nests the mockingbirds will become less territorial and less aggressive. That will happen in September.

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