SAN FRANCISCO -- A territorial blackbird that has been dive-bombing pedestrians for weeks is continuing to attract a crowd in downtown San Francisco.

Dozens of people spent their lunch breaks at the corner of California and Front streets watching the blackbird, nicknamed "Swoops" by a local blogger, attack passersby.

Catherine Phillips, 32, who works nearby, was startled by what felt like a pebble dropping on her head.

When the crowd burst into laughter, she realized what had happened and laughed herself.

"I was wondering what everyone was staring at," she said. "It's just a little reminder not to walk by her nest."

It's the Financial District's version of the Bush Man at Fisherman's Wharf, who hides behind a fake bush and jumps out to startle pedestrians.

But in the bird's case, most passersby know what to expect.

Bart Robinson, 34, who also works in the neighborhood, thought he would try his luck and walk down Swoops' stretch of sidewalk. Swoops wasn't having it. Robinson had called his mother in Utah and was on the phone with her during the attack.

"It's kind of like a thrill ride you go through and you hope that he gets you," Robinson said. "It's exhilarating."

The bird presides over the sidewalk from a metal awning outside City National Bank and seems particularly intolerant of balding men and those with short, dark hair.

Debora Vrana, spokeswoman for City National Bank, said the bird has not impacted the bank except that "several of our employees have been swooped."

Vrana said it "doesn't seem like a vicious bird, just protective."

The attacks started a few weeks ago, said Andy Azadnia and Josh Johnson, whose female coworker at a nearby Wachovia Bank had been targeted.

"She was probably one of the first ever," Johnson said. "Now, two weeks later the bird is famous."

Indeed, the bird has made national and international headlines, with a paper in the U.K. claiming it is "terrorizing" workers. Video of the attacks has been on CNN.

The attacks inspired a blog which nicknamed the bird and provides frequent updates and pictures.

At one point this afternoon the crowd watched with bated breath as Swoops eyed an elderly woman in a green pantsuit who walked down the sidewalk with a cane, seemingly oblivious to the situation.

She was not attacked.

"That is amazing," one man said. "She made it through the whole thing."

Vicky Guldbech, a captain with San Francisco Animal Care and Control, said the swooping behavior is "what blackbirds do every year at this time, but we've never focused on one particular one like we are this year."

Guldbech cautioned against people who might try to harass or incite the bird.

"We would be concerned about that type of behavior," she said. "We would encourage people to call animal control if that's happening, illegal to harass or harm these animals."