Niall Horan, from boyband One Direction, has an irrational fear of pigeons and it affects his nerves before gigs.

The heartthrob's condition, known as ornithophobia, often gets in the way of his confidence and unsettles him, and he explained to The Sun newspaper that the fear began after an unfortunate incident in a bathroom:

"I get really nervous if pigeons are flying around before shows. I can't stand them after one once flew in through my bathroom window and went for me while I was having a wee."

"That was enough. I think pigeons target me."

The Sun newspaper also reports that extra security members will be brought in to ward off the shamless birds during the group's upcoming tour of north America.