It’s not often that you will hear about an owl attack. In fact, you probably can’t think of a single story that you have heard about. Maybe you can pinpoint one or two at most, maybe it has unfortunately happened to you or somebody you know but most likely you couldn’t think of one and therefore began to wonder…
Are owls dangerous to humans?
The answer is sometimes! Pretty much ANY animal will become aggressive when it is defending their young or their territory and owls are known to have done exactly that! It is extremely rare for an owl attack to result in death though, but this does not mean you shouldn’t be extremely careful around an aggressive owl. Essentially, owls can be dangerous to humans if the circumstances are right.
The top 3 owls known to attack include:
- Great Horned Owls
- Barred Owls
- Snowy Owls
Great Horned Owls
Known for high profile attacks, the Great Horned Owl is known as the ‘tiger of the sky’ and quite rightly so for their predatory nature both on the ground and in the sky. These owls are impressive hunters and will usually hunt small mammals and even fellow birds. Since they are opportunistic feeders, they are not picky about what they consume. Owls are known for their extremely sharp talons that do most of the work when the owl swoops on their prey from above. These talons use intense pressure that can pierce organs and could even snap a bone! They come at such speed and so silently that anything they choose to hunt is essentially helpless to defend themselves in time. Great Horned Owls have been known to swoop on animals much bigger than themselves as they will tear up any prey into smaller sizes that they are able to eat. They are known to get very protective of their territories and fights with other owls over territories can often end in death. High profile attacks from Great Horned Owls includes a jogger in Oregon who was struck on the scalp – this is a usual attack tactic for this owl as they aim for the face and head when hunting large animals. The Great Horned Owl frequents cities and therefore is around people more often than other owl species which could contribute to their likelihood to attack. They can carry 4x their own weight and have even been known to win in a fight with an eagle, so us measly humans have no chance!
Barred Owls
You may have heard of the Barred Owl as the one that played a part in a high-profile murder case back in 2003. A man was originally convicted for the murder of a woman but in 2011 after serving years in prison a judge decided that the murder was actually carried out by a Barred Owl who they believed had attacked the woman leaving wounds on her head, face and hands (a typical area of attack for the Barred Owl). Much like the Great Horned Owl, the Barred Owl can fly completely silently and can sneak up on their prey with great speed. They are extremely aggressive if they feel that their territory is threatened and if they are disturbed. Joggers have been known to be attacked as they tend to jog through Owl territory. Although they are territorial all year round, this is increased if this is during mating season, the Barred Owl will attack anybody who they deem a threat to their young.
Snowy Owls
Nobody can deny that the Snowy Owl is a tough cookie, standing at over 18 inches tall with a 4 feet wingspan, they can tolerate temperatures as low as minus 50. Snowy Owls are extremely territorial therefore if a human enters their nest site then they will target the head and face with their sharp talons. Males tend to be more aggressive when protecting the nest but females will attack if you go near their young. There have been recorded attacks on humans when they get too close which can happen fairly innocently since Snowy Owls nest on the ground. This is probably why they have become so territorial, because they are used to predators coming close to their nests. It Is less common for humans to accidentally walk into a nesting site because Snowy Owls are generally located away from human contact but it can occur. Snowy Owls tend to nest in the barren land of the mountains in the arctic tundra. The good news is that Snowy Owls, like all owls, do not go looking for a human to attack. Unless they are disturbed they generally do not move much at all unless they are forced to by an intruder.
Conclusion
Therefore to answer the question ‘are owls dangerous to humans’ the answer would be yes they can be. Owls are not usually dangerous unless they feel like their territory or their young are at risk but if they need to defend themselves they will! However not all owls are likely to attack, the top three that have high profile attacks would be the Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls and Snowy Owls.