Owls are usually shy, and they hide from humans for their own safety. But we all know they’re great hunters and dangerous predators; this characteristic scares us!
However, we’re not an owl’s target or their prey. They usually hunt rodents, invertebrates, and small animals, but like any wild animal, owls can be a danger if we provoke them.
So, do owls attack humans?
An owl can attack a human if the territory boundaries are overlapped or if a person gets too close to their nest or chicks. They will swoop in and peck or scratch your head to frighten you away. In these situations, you need to remain calm and cover your head.
Why Do Owls Attack Humans?
Owls are usually peaceful animals and don’t attack humans without any reason. However, there’s always a 5% chance of getting attacked, and there are many reasons for it. Let’s go through some so that you can be safe.
- Owls are very territorial. They don’t like anyone coming into their territory and feel threatened whenever anything does.
- Owls’ mating and breeding seasons (Winter & Spring) are always the worst time to be spotted by one. During this time, they have hormonal changes which make them quite aggressive.
- An owl’s motherly instinct kicks in when it comes to their nests or chicks. If you knowingly or without knowingly come near their nests or young ones, they will attack to protect their children.
- Owls live in the forests, but due to deforestation, some might venture out into the town, and the flashing lights and noise might confuse them. In this instance, their reflex would be to fly away or attack.
Even if any of the above happens, owls warn you by hooting to avoid attacking you. But they won’t hesitate to attack if you fail to understand the warning. So, be careful!
How Dangerous Can Owl Attacks Be?
Owl attacks can be quite dangerous, to be honest. If you didn’t know, large owls have a 500psi gripping strength which is more than what we have (100psi).
Moreover, owls’ razor-sharp inch-long talons and claws can dig deep into our skin, and we can experience serious injuries. There even have been cases where people lost their eyes during an owl attack.
As a bird of prey, they won’t back off and will try to harm you in any way possible. This especially happens in the case of young owls who have been kicked out of their nests. Being hungry, they tend to attack very aggressively.
How to Minimize the Risk of Owl Attacks
Owls are fast as Eagles, and their wings make literally makes no sounds when they fly, so you won’t know when an owl is coming your way.
Everything happens so fast that you won’t get the chance to avoid an attack properly. But hey, that doesn’t mean you can’t minimize the risks of the attack. So, let’s go through some to be safe in such circumstances.
1. Pay Attention to Surrounding
Whenever you’re hiking or trekking, look around your surroundings. You will find many signs indicating that a vast population of owls live in that area. So, it’s better to take another path or just return to the direction you came from.
2. Cover Your Head
If you somehow didn’t notice the signs and an owl swoops over you, immediately cover your head because that’s their target. Use your hands, scarf, or a helmet to cover your head, which will cause substantially fewer injuries.
3. Never Run
After covering your head, make loud noises and flashlights to scare the owl away. But never try to run away, as it will encourage the owl to attack you more aggressively.
4. Use Umbrella or Stick to Defend
You can also use a stick or an umbrella to save yourself from the attacks. Also, don’t wave your arms around; it may provoke the bird more.
Even though owls don’t usually don’t carry potential infectious diseases, you should still seek immediate medical attention for any injuries caused by their claws and talons.
Busting Myths & Misconceptions about Owl Attacks
You might think owls are vicious creatures, but you’ll be surprised to know that owl attacks are pretty rare. Only about two people per year usually report an owl attack.
So, we want to separate some myths and misconceptions from the facts.
- Misconception 1: Owls frequently attack humans
Fact: An owl will never attack a human unless they feel threatened or have been provoked. They are peaceful animals that prefer small rodents to humans, and most owl species don’t even want to attack humans.
- Misconception 2: All owl species are dangerous
Fact: Many people wouldn’t dare to keep owls as house pets if they were dangerous. As you know, there are various sizes of owls, but even the large owls like the Great Horned Owl or the Eurasian Eagle Owl, with their sharp talons and claws, stay away from humans to avoid conflicts.
- Misconception 3: Owls remember human faces and target attacks
Fact: We won’t disagree that owls are intelligent birds, but they have no ability to remember specific faces. So, don’t worry because an owl won’t follow you home just to attack!
A Hooting Conclusion
Owls are truly majestic if you observe some of their traits like they can turn their heads, fly completely silent, and easily catch prey. But these shouldn’t intimidate you.
However, if you ever venture out into an area with owls, slowly return back because the best way to avoid an owl attack is to just back off and not threaten the bird of prey. We hope our small guide has helped you!
