How to protect yourself from crow attacks in downtown Victoria

It's nesting season in downtown Victoria, meaning aggressive crows are out in full force.

Obnoxious as they are, they're actually just being good parents, according to bird specialists.

CTV News weather anchor Warren Dean was out for a walk last Friday when he saw what looked like an injured crow on the sidewalk.

"It looked distressed and I was like 'Aw,'" said Dean. "And then the other one came up from behind me and whacked me in the back of the head."

It's a classic scenario, according to avian expert Ann Nightingale with the Rocky Point Bird Observatory.

She says adolescent crows are the same size as adults when they leave the nest. Approach one, then here comes mom or dad.

"All they're doing is trying to protect their young, and that's a virtue we respect in most animals."

While some people may approve of the birds' parental nature, others are fed up with being dive-bombed downtown.

Crowtrax is an online tracker that catalogues crow attacks in Vancouver and Victoria.

At the top of the pecking order is the intersection of Pandora Avenue and Government Street, which seems to be the epicentre of crow attacks in Victoria this year.

One way to protect yourself from crow attacks is to have eyes on the back of your head, literally.

Crows rarely attack from the front, so you could add some googly eyes to the back of your hat.

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat is also smart and stylish, or you could go full out with a helmet.

Nesting season typically lasts until July, when the adults become much calmer, according to the BC SPCA.