Are Owls Dangerous? (Reasons They Attack + How To Avoid)

Owls are known as fearsome hunters and deadly predators. Great horned owls and barred owls are often listed among the most dangerous birds in the world. But owls are sometimes portrayed as intelligent, knowledgeable birds or cute, lovable picture book companions. Which is closest to the truth?

Are owls really dangerous? Join us as we investigate whether owls are actually capable of terrorizing humans and causing serious harm to large animals and even humans.

In addition to being known as nature’s fearsome predator, research has shown that owls are also largely fearless. Owls are highly protective of their mates, young and hunting territories. If they feel threatened by any of them, they won’t hesitate to attack.

Owls’ talons are so sharp that they sink into their prey, causing deep lacerations and stab wounds. The lack of an instinctive sense of fear means that a threatened owl is likely to aggressively attack anything it perceives as an intruder, regardless of size or build, without any prior warning.

Like all birds, owls are wild animals and their behavior is unpredictable, so you should always take extra care when you are near places where they may be nesting or hunting.

If you’re interested in learning how to protect yourself when attacked by a fidget owl, read on.

Great horned owls are often classified as dangerous birds

How do owls protect themselves?

Owls use their sharp beaks and blade-like curved talons to protect themselves from predators and ward off perceived threats. Their claws can grab, pierce, scratch and tear flesh in seconds.

When they feel threatened, owls will make a sudden, noiseless swoop, catching would-be intruders off guard, before continuing the attack with their talons.

When Do Owls Become Aggressive?

Owls are highly protective of their mates, young and territories. If they feel threatened by any of them, they will not hesitate to attack, no matter the size of the intruder. Breeding or brooding owls are particularly aggressive and can attack without warning.

Recently mature male owls have high levels of testosterone and can be quite active as they try to take their place in the natural pecking order in their woodland habitat.

Owls are especially territorial during breeding season – long-eared owl and chicks

Are owls aggressive towards humans?

Accounts exist documenting the relationship between owls and humans, and they certainly aren’t all friendly. Multiple incidents of barred owls attacking hikers have been reported in the eastern and southeastern United States.

In 2015, residents of the Dutch town of Purmerend were advised to carry umbrellas in case they found themselves attacked by an extremely aggressive horned owl, which allegedly attacked dozens of people during a three-week reign of terror.

European eagle owl in flight

Are owls aggressive towards other birds?

In what might be considered a role reversal, an owl perched on a perch during the day may often be mobbed or dive-bombed by flocks of birds – but will not react or respond to the harassment in any way and may eventually fly away Close to avoid unwanted attention.

Since owls are primarily nocturnal, they tend not to cross paths with many other birds when they are awake.

Owls will occasionally hunt, catch and prey on other birds, but this is mostly opportunistic rather than a major part of their diet.

What would you do if an owl attacked you?

Owl attacks on humans are rare, but they do happen from time to time. So it’s useful to know what to do if you ever find yourself under intense attack from an owl.

Owls tend to target the head and scalp, so if you find yourself in this dire situation, the first thing you should do is cover your head. Even if it’s just using your hands and arms, it will provide some protection from knife-like claws.

Since owl attacks can occur without warning, and an angry owl may silently “dive bomb” anything it deems a threat to its nest or mate, you may not have time to prepare.

With this attack in progress, one piece of valuable advice is to wave your arms and legs while making as many noises as possible in an attempt to disrupt the attack and make the owl retreat.

Barred owl perched on a branch

Do owls fight to the death?

Owls are very territorial and if their nest is attacked they will attack desperately to ensure the safety of themselves and their mates, eggs and chicks.

Territorial disputes with other birds of prey such as hawks, crows, or even other owls can result in injury or death, and owls often—but not always—win.

What are owls afraid of?

Research has shown that owls lack a real sense of fear. Strong bursts of human noise, such as clapping and shouting, can unsettle owls, and they can also be startled by sudden flashes of bright light.

Snowy owl in attack, flying directly towards the camera

Are owls friendly to humans?

Owls are inherently hostile to humans and generally do not tolerate human company, especially any attempt to touch, caress, and handle in any way.

Even captive birds have shown signs of being uncomfortable with human company, and owls in captivity may shy away from too much human contact.

Keeping wild owls is illegal in the United States except in exceptional circumstances, such as in a licensed rehabilitation center. In the UK it is legal for people to keep wild owls as pets, although owl ownership is usually short-lived.

Would-be owl owners may not be able to meet the demands of caring for captive owls, and they may be disappointed when their expectations of bonding with their furry, cuddly owls do not materialize.

Great horned owl perched during autumn

common problem

Have owls ever killed people?

There is one widely reported case of an owl being involved in a homicide. Although no conclusive evidence has been confirmed, there is still debate over whether a striped owl was to blame for Kathleen Peterson’s suspicious death in 2001.

Peterson’s body was found with horrific head and scalp injuries that some believe were inflicted in a frenzied attack by a barred owl, a theory that feathers found at the scene may support. Barred owls have been involved in a spate of attacks on joggers and hikers in the southern United States, with numerous serious head injuries and scalp lacerations reported.

Do owls attack cats?

Although owls typically target smaller, slower-moving mammals, such as young mice or rats. Owl attacks on cats are not unheard of, nor are pet felines beyond the hunting capabilities of eagle owls, although smaller owl species may not attempt to attack cats opportunistically unless it is actively intruding into its territory or loitering nearby. nest site.

Anecdotal reports of owls killing cats exist, although there is no extensive documented data on such reported cases.

Do owls attack dogs?

While unusual, it is not unheard of for dogs to be attacked by owls. Owls tend not to be intimidated by the size of animals if they perceive them to be a threat to their territory, nest or mate, so if a dog roams loose in woodlands known as owl hunting grounds, it will likely be Find yourself under attack from a highly protective owl.

Some of the larger owl species, including eagle owls and great horned owls, are huge, which means that larger mammals such as foxes and fawns are sometimes successfully hunted.

Which owl is the most aggressive?

The owls with the most reported attacks on humans include the eagle owl, great horned owl, barred owl, and snowy owl.

Perched barred owl looking directly at camera