A peregrine falcon that has been mostly seen sitting on the ledge of a skyscraper near the intersection of Wacker Drive and Monroe Street has apparently attacked several pedestrians who have presumably gotten too close to the bird’s little ones.

For Chuck Valauskas, it was a lesson learned the hard way.

“I felt this clunk against my head, like a 16-inch softball. I looked up and I saw this bird swooping away and it went up to the ledges on this building,” Valauskas said.

Last Thursday, Chuck Valauskas was walking along the river near his office when the bird came after him.

The birds drew blood on Valauskas, and he sought medical treatment the following day, when he received a tetanus shot.

Those working in the nearby building were warned of the bird’s presence, with apparently several other individuals being attacked by the falcon.

Several warning signs have now been posted near where the bird attacks have occurred, making the large amount of pedestrians walking near the falcon’s territory each day aware of its presence.

The peregrine falcon is the official bird of the city of Chicago, and it was once on the state’s endangered list.

But thanks to the Chicago peregrine program, the city is now home to 20 breeding pairs, overseen by the Field Museum.

The Field Museum experts are telling people to just give the falcons some space to raise their chicks.

They said once the chicks are a little older this summer, mom and dad will relax.