The most dangerous birds in the world. The most dangerous birds for humans that can attack humans

Birds are a symbol of peace and kindness. We can name a few dangerous animals, insects and even reptiles on the fly, but we are unlikely to easily recall birds deadly to humans. And they are.

Cassowary

In appearance, this bird is completely harmless, but it is original and “smart”. In fact, the cassowary is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most dangerous bird on the planet. Sensing a threat (or just seeing a person on its territory), this flightless inhabitant of the rainforests of New Guinea and northeast Australia immediately attacks.
The legs of cassowaries are very strong, and the claws, like daggers, are capable of inflicting fatal injuries.
The character of the "bird" is rather nasty, the cassowary becomes furious for no apparent reason.
This fact was highlighted even among the American and Australian military during World War II, emphasizing that it is better to avoid meeting with a colorful feathered monster. By the way, cassowaries are rarely kept in menageries - because of their unpredictable disposition, zoo workers were most often injured from this creature.

South American harpy

This is the strongest eagle in the world, whose body weight reaches 9 kg. The claws of a huge bird are larger and more powerful than those of a tiger and a bear, and it will not be difficult for it to pierce a human skull.
The harpy usually does not attack a person first; content for lunch with monkeys, sloths, boas and smaller birds.
The only exception is the attack on the nest of this Mexican eagle. To protect a single chick (and these pairs of birds grow only one chick), the harpy will be selfless. At the moment, the number of South American harpies is steadily declining, the reason for this was the destruction of forests and the breeding patterns of winged predators.

Thrush flycatcher

To be deadly to humans, this bird did not have to be distinguished by its large size and physical strength. The thrush flycatcher, also known as the bicolor pitohu, is the most poisonous bird on the planet. In addition to pitohu, three-poison birds are also isolated, two of them belong to the same genus (P. kihocephalus and P. ferrugineus), which is two-colored pitohu, and the third was the blue-headed ifrit kovaldi.
All three "analogues" are significantly inferior in the degree of toxicity to the thrush flycatcher. In 1989, ornithologist Jack Dumbacher studied birds in New Guinea. Releasing cute birds from the web, the scientist scratched his finger. Ignoring the scratch, Jack instinctively put his finger in his mouth and immediately felt his tongue, mouth and lips go numb.
Subsequently, it was possible to find out that poison enters the body of a bird along with beetles of the Choresine pulchra species, and then gradually accumulates in feathers and skin.
As a result of their meals, the flycatcher becomes dangerous to other mammals, although the bird itself has adapted to the poison. It's funny that the local natives have long known about this quality pitohu, the "greatest discovery" of the ornithologist pretty much amused them.

Canadian goose

Canada geese (not to be confused with Canada Goose jackets) is a very beautiful waterfowl of the Anatidae family. A huge duck has an aggressive disposition and desperately defends its territory.
When meeting with a man, Canadian hussars often inflicted lacerations, serious fractures and cranial injuries on people.
Federal wildlife scientist Neil Doe conducted field studies and published results showing the destruction coastline and the destruction of many animals and birds by goose. In addition, the geese repeatedly collided with aircraft. In 1995, in the state of Elmendorf, Alaska, a US Air Force plane crashed into a flock of geese on takeoff and crashed. 24 crew members were killed. In 2009, the pilot of Flight 1549 managed to make an emergency landing after encountering Canadian hussars, and the passengers escaped with minor injuries.

crows

Feathered city dwellers have neither poison nor extreme physical abilities, but there is a surprisingly developed intellect. An organized flock of crows is able to act like a real gang, according to a premeditated scheme.
There are frequent cases when crows together drive the victim - small animals and pigeons, under the wheels of transport, and then drag the unfortunate to the side of the road and feast.
Crows can also attack humans. Reports of their attacks on people now and then appear in the press. Especially in the spring.
Most often, the victims of flocks are children and the elderly, and, surrounding the unfortunate from all sides, crows are able to inflict significant injuries with hard beaks, diverting attention to each other.
London runners in Elten Sound park were forced to change their running route due to an attack by crows. It is noteworthy that aggressive birds attacked mainly blond people. The reasons for hostility towards blondes have not been clarified.
The consequences of the crows' intelligence were also reflected in mass incidents - in just one month of 1978, nine trains derailed in China. The reason was the rubble that the crows put on the rails.

We associate birds with something calm and beautiful: light, independent of the perturbations of earthly life, they have always aroused something like a little envy in a person. However, do not rush to relax - Mother Nature still has something to surprise us with. Among the huge variety of bird species, there are those that we do not advise anyone to meet.

goshawk

The goshawk is a very beautiful bird and, like all other members of the family, selfless. You should not even think about approaching the nest of this proud man: the hawk will fearlessly rush to attack the "guest", regardless of its size.

Ostrich

Making an ostrich angry is not the smartest decision. These birds jealously guard their territory and rush at every intruder. The speed of an ostrich can reach eighty kilometers per hour, so it will not work to escape. To top it all, the ostrich has sharp claws on its paws, with one blow of which it can rip open the stomach of anyone.
Two-color pitohui These strange little birds live in the forests of New Guinea. Hunting them is deadly: skin, feathers and internal organs Pitohui dichrous contains a huge amount of batrachotoxin - a poison that is a hundred times stronger than strychnine. Scientists still cannot understand the reasons for such a feint of nature, because this bird is far from being a hunter.

griffon vulture

The usual diet of vultures is carrion, and this is common knowledge. However, a study published in 2011 in the journal Nature showed that there are, and may be, exceptions to the rule. Griffon vultures living in the north of Spain began to hunt livestock, moving from the category of scavengers to predators. A wounded person may well be a victim of such a bird: last year a young woman fell off a cliff and broke her leg - and the vultures managed to get to her before the rescuers.

blue jay

Blue jays seem to be quite harmless creatures. They feed on insects and nuts - but are not averse to stealing the eggs of other birds. Approaching the blue jay's nest means deliberately risking your eyes. This small bird protects territory with the courage of an African lion: ornithologists know cases of attacks by jays on hawks, raccoons, cats, squirrels and snakes.

Cassowary

Apart from the ostrich, the cassowary remains the only bird to have killed a human. Middle finger the cassowary is equipped with a long, sharp claw that can easily release the intestines of the victim. Of course, you must be very unlucky to meet a cassowary in its habitat - however, theoretically this is quite possible.

Red cardinal

And another small bird that can become a source big trouble. Cardinal males are extremely aggressive, especially during the mating season. They are ready to defend their territory to the last drop of blood - especially from their brethren. Red cardinals often break to death on the windows of houses, mistaking the reflection in them for an opponent.

Birds are considered to be one of the most fascinating and beautiful creatures on earth, providing millions of people around the world with an invaluable wildlife experience. Most birds are harmless to humans. However, some bird species have adapted to environment, having developed sharp claws, strong paws, territorial instincts, and the ability to fly with unrivaled ferocity.

№10
red-tailed hawk
Possible damage: injury

Photo. Red-tailed hawk in flight

The red-tailed hawk is one of the large hawks in North America, and it is one of the most common. It is one of the most commonly seen buzzards (buzzards) and can be found in farmlands, near highways, parks, native prairies, and lightly wooded habitats.

The red-tailed hawk weighs between 3 and 4.4 kg and has a wingspan of about 1.5 meters. They nest in trees near open areas and defend them very fiercely. If the nest is built in an area frequented by humans, the hawk may identify humans as a threat and will want to drive them out of the area where it lives.

Attacks usually look like quick strikes with massive claws spread out. In Connecticut, in 2010, during a nesting buzzard, a number of people were attacked on a territorial basis. Several people were wounded and hit on the head. At this time, school athletics were moved indoors.

№9
White Owl
Possible damage: injury

Photo. white owl staring

The snowy owl (snowy owl) is a large white bird immortalized in the movie "Harry Potter", the northernmost bird of prey living on the planet. Snowy owls live in the tundra near the Arctic Circle and in addition they are able to tolerate temperatures down to -50. The height of the bird is about 45 cm, the wingspan is more than 1.2 meters. Their weight can exceed 2 kg. When walking in the arctic tundra, near areas with grass cover and unmelted snow, you need to carefully look around.

Owls can come close to the nesting site without any signs of alarm. But once the threat is real, that patch of "snow" can be remembered for a lifetime, as the snowy owl will rush to scare off the intruder. If a human becomes this threat, the owl can lunge at the face and head with razor-sharp claws exposed. Serious injuries, especially to the eyes, are the most likely outcome of an owl attack. In such cases, it is necessary to bend down, protect the face and hastily move backwards.

№8
bearded man

Photo. bearded man or lamb

The bearded man (Lammergier) is translated from German as "lamb". The most predatory species of vultures were thought to feed on lambs, but they are unlikely to be able to handle a lamb unless it is sick or dead.

It's the bird's penchant for hard foods worth splitting that makes it potentially dangerous. The bearded man has adapted to get to the soft brain inside the bones, because it is only the bones that remain after other scavengers have undressed the corpse. To get to the brain, the bird takes a bone with it and throws it in the air so that it falls on the stones and breaks.

Video. bearded bird

This poses a certain threat to people in their immediate vicinity. The bearded man sees the skull as a substitute for stones, and treats it the same way. The ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus is said to have been killed by a tortoise that fell from the sky, presumably thrown by a bearded man.

№7
Barred Owl
Possible damage: injury

Photo. Barred owl on a bitch

The Barred Owl is a fluffy, medium-sized bird of prey native to the marshy forests of southern North America. The wingspan reaches up to 1.2 meters, and the weight can reach 1 kg. This bird preys on small game and has recently expanded north and west to British Columbia.

Climbers on the Pacific Northwest pay to walk in forests inhabited by the Barred Owl. When an owl flies, the victims do not hear it, because its special feathers drown out the owl's soaring flight. Birds aim at the head with their sharp claws, scratching, pecking and squeezing. Such an attack can result in bloody head injuries. Attacks in parks have been known since 2001, with four Texas residents bloodied in a series of owl strikes in 2007. Helmets can be your useful defense against owl attacks.

№6
white-billed loon
Possible Damage: Death or serious injury

Photo. White-billed loon on the lake

Only five species of loons are known, widely known since ancient times. Loons nest near lakes in tundra, arctic forest and arctic tundra in North America and northern Eurasia. Loons fly south for the winter - a short cut to spend the winter in sheltered bays throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Loons weigh 4-6 kilograms and have sharp teeth in their beaks that they use to bite into fish.

Pollution in the lakes has caused the population of loons to decline, prompting scientists to follow them to track their movements. There is a known case when an ornithologist confused a loon with a predator and ringed it. The fallen bird began to defend itself, its beak resembles a dagger, with which it pierced the chest and heart of the researcher, who died on the spot.

№5
mute swan
Possible damage: injury or death

Photo. Mute swan on the lake

The mute swan is one of the largest water birds in the world, and it is also worth noting that it is one of the most aggressive territorial birds. The birds mainly live in Eurasia, but they have also been bred in many other parts of the world. The mute swan, unlike other swan species, nests in park waters, public lakes, and other places that may be frequented by humans. These birds are extremely aggressive in defending their nests against any possible predators.

If a person approaches the shore of a lake where there is a nest, a 9-kilogram bird will hiss and get angry. The swan strikes its opponent with muscular wings, which reach more than 2 meters in span, peck and push until the threat is gone. Mute swan attacks can result in serious injuries, including broken bones, bruises, and eye injuries. In one tragic incident, a caretaker drowned after being pushed out of his kayak by swans.

№4
herring gull

Photo. Herring Gull in flight

Primarily nesting gulls, especially large species such as the European Herring Gull, can be very aggressive towards perceived intruders. Increasing trash and food availability in urban areas has encouraged gulls to nest in these new habitats, increasing conflict with humans. These birds aggressively steal food from humans, resulting in potential injury from their massive beaks. One boy received cuts on his face after a seagull stole a sausage from him.

The bird can weigh more than 1 kg, the wingspan is 1.2 meters. During the nesting season, they retain their territorial instincts. In 2001, a woman in the UK received deep lacerations to her head as a result of a seagull attack, and her dog was found dead. And in 2002, a retired man died of a heart attack after being attacked by a flock of seagulls.

№3
Whistler Crow
Potential Damage: Severe injury or death

Photo. Whistler crow on the lawn

The whistling crow is a southern relative of the crow and is closely related to the magpie. The feeding habits of this species are relatively safe as the crow is mainly oriented towards terrestrial invertebrates. However, the territorial behavior of this huge songbird, whose wingspan is almost 1 meter, makes it one of the most dangerous birds on the planet for humans.

During their six-week nesting season, the birds swoop fearlessly in pairs to attack intruders where they are most vulnerable. In humans, this is the area of ​​the head and face, and eye injuries, serious superficial wounds, and traumatic brain injuries have been reported more than once. Fatalities have occurred when intruders, such as pedestrians or cyclists, panicked after being hit on the head with claws and a massive, pointed beak.

№2
African ostrich
Potential Damage: Severe injury or death

Photo. African ostrich with its babies

The African ostrich is the largest bird on earth, and is the only remaining species of ostrich after the tragic disappearance of the Syrian ostrich. Ostriches weigh an average of 70 kg, and their height can reach almost 2.5 meters.

The bird's long eyelashes and wide beaks may seem ridiculous, but the territorial ostrich is best feared. Irritated ostriches are capable of accelerating up to 70 km / h, but when someone threatens their territory, they can also attack people.

Ostriches have massive leg bones similar to hooves, their claws protrude several centimeters. A person can be gutted or beaten to death in a matter of seconds. In South Africa alone, up to three attacks are recorded annually. Since the invasion of the ostrich's breeding environment, the death toll has only increased over the past few years.

№1
helmeted cassowary
Potential Damage: Severe injury or death

Photo. Beautiful helmeted cassowary

The helmeted cassowary is a tropical forest dweller in the ratite family native to Northwestern Australia and New Guinea. Cassowaries have black plumage and blue spots on their skin, and on their head they have a so-called helmet, which makes it look like a lizard. These birds weigh more than 60 kg, are about 1.5 meters tall, and are fiercely territorial defenders.

Armed with extremely sharp spurs and wielding one of the strongest kicks of any animal, cassowaries will not hesitate to challenge a perceived threat. There were cases when, as a result of an attack by a cassowary, a torn, gutted or instantly killed human corpse was found in their habitat.

Usually, cassowaries peacefully collect plant material and arthropods from the forest floor, but like all of the above birds, don't be fooled.

The most dangerous bird on Earth is the cassowary, or in Latin "Casuarius". These are very aggressive creatures that a person should be afraid of.

The wings of cassowaries are rather poorly developed, the ischial and pubic bones are not connected, the nostrils are located in the middle of the beak flattened from the sides. In addition, these birds have a practically undeveloped tail, and the fourth hind toe is missing on the paws.

The head of the cassowary, like the upper part of the neck, has a very bright color. On the head itself is a flattened horn process. The bird's beak is long and straight. Fleshy appendages lie on the neck, which give the cassowary a unique flavor. In the wings there are rigid rods without a fan instead of flight feathers, as in most birds. The plumage of the cassowary very clearly resembles the hairline. The bird has short legs, and the tarsus in front is covered with peculiar shields. The main weapons of these very beautiful creatures is an incredibly developed claw on the inner finger.

One of the most famous representatives of the causars is the helmeted Indian cassowary. It has a green-blue head, purple and blue on the sides of the neck. The back is red. The bird is distinguished by a black beak, gray-yellow legs and growth, which can be up to 1.8 meters.

Scientists know about the existence of about ten various kinds cassowaries that live in places such as Tserama, Eastern Australia, the Austro-Malayan subregion. Many ornithologists believe that the dinosaur velociraptor is the direct ancestor of this bird.

The habitat of birds is dense shrubs and forests. Cassowaries are distinguished by great caution and incredible speed of movement. They can also swim and jump to a height of up to 2.5 meters. Cassowaries mainly eat different kind vegetation, berries and fruits.

Cassowaries lay 3 to 5 eggs, which are incubated by males. Baby chicks are born with a reddish-brown color. Birds acquire black color only after a couple of years from the date of birth.

The paws of the cassowary are covered with long sharp claws that can reach a length of 10 cm. They pose a serious danger to both animals and humans. With them, a bird can easily rip open the stomach of its opponent. In addition, the sharp and heavy beak is the most deadly weapon, since its blow will be enough to kill a person. If the bird is wounded, it will be very aggressive and vehemently defend itself.

She is very easy to piss off. An evil individual poses a serious danger, so it is better not to touch the cassowary once again. Remember that an angry bird always attacks first, respecting the rule that states that best defense- attack.

People who live in the habitats of cassowaries try their best to avoid meeting this aggressive bird. Its danger also lies in the fact that it is almost impossible to escape from it, unless of course you are moving at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour.

You can never know in advance what is on the mind of a cassowary. And therein lies another unpleasant moment. Only notorious daredevils or fools will dare to come close to her, because this is really the most dangerous bird on the planet.