An elderly man in Huaihua, Hunan Province claims that an owl has taken a special liking to attacking his head.

When he leaves home, the owl often starts pecking his head, forcing the man to wear a special hat, the local Changsha Evening News reported Wednesday.

"The owl began attacking me in March, when I was working in an orange grove," 79-year-old Yang Decai said.

"I don't remember how many times it has attacked me, but the day before yesterday, it jabbed me 20 times," he revealed. "It doesn't hurt but it is really annoying."

Yang wears a hat with nails sticking out of a piece of wood to protect himself from the owl.

The owl sometimes has a cohort - one hoots on a tree and the other swoops to attack, the report said. Yang's wife has also been attacked several times though other family members have been left alone.

Yang said the owl may be seeking revenge because he had removed a nest with two baby owls from his roof.

"They must be the baby owls' parents and want revenge," Yang said.

However, an expert from the forestry bureau in the city said the reason for owl's strange behavior may be that it feels threatened or that Yang carries a special scent.

(Shanghai Daily June 21, 2007)