preying

The shy bird plays an important role in the food chain by preying on rodents, snakes and other pests and is also the state bird of Rajasthan, where it is called 'Godawan' by locals.

He described the scammers as "awful people who are preying on people's vulnerabilities", adding: "It doesn't stop us feeling daft, but I think it's something that's caught out hundreds of people."

“But I think the bonkers s— that happens to us gets framed differently: ‘Hmm, they’re gay and the fans are gay — this is gay people preying on other gay people.’”

They have not targeted humans, as in the Alfred Hitchock horror film The Birds, but these ones have for decades caused widespread disruption, by preying on wildlife, raiding tourist areas and attacking poultry farms.

So-called witch hunting has been a scourge throughout India, preying on mostly village women who are often single, widowed or otherwise isolated and involved in property or marital disputes.