Are there any “birds of prey” (eagles, hawks, owls, falcons, etc.) capable of killing humans? Not children, but a resonably healthy adult? Their beaks and talons certainly look fearsome – are there any known fatalities from encounters with big raptors? Even if the wounds were not immediately fatal, I would imagine it would certainly not be a pleasant experience for any person who was on the recieving end of their talons and beaks!
I once climbed a mountain and ended up too close to an aeriary (nest) of a bald eagle. It swooped and screeched and extended talons. It never attacked. When I got up higher, I could see that there were some chicks in the nest. If ever there were a call to attack, that would have been the time, but it didn’t.
Even the big birds of prey (eagles) only weigh ten pounds or so. A condor can weigh up to 25 pounds, but they’re scavengers. So…not impossible, but it would be a Pyrrhic victory for the bird. Probably the best way for it to do some serious damage would be just to hit you in flight while moving at high speed.
Although it’s not a bird of prey, an ostrich could probably kick your ribcage through your spine.
I have never heard of a fatal attack on an adult human by a bird of prey. They’re just not big enough, unless somehow one managed to open an artery with a talon. Small children could be vulnerable to the larger eagles.
The largest eagle in terms of weight is the Harpy Eagle, in which large females can weigh up around 20 pounds (9 kg). They take large monkeys, sloths, and on occasion even deer fawns, but nothing approaching the size of an adult human.
The cassowary is probably the bird responsible for the most human fatalities. It has dagger-like claws on its feet than can easily disembowel a hunter, and I believe there are regular fatalities in New Guinea. Ostriches are also certainly capable of killing a human by kicking.
One supposed case of a human fatality caused by a bird of prey is the Greek dramatist Aeschylus, who according to legend was killed when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his bald head in an effort to break its shell, mistaking Aeschylus’ head for a boulder. Of course, this tale has to be taken with a large handful of salt.
An ostrich can disembowel a man with a kick.
I met a wildlife rehaber once with hideously scarred arms from an eagle’s talons. He wrestled with the bird for some time and each time he almost got free from the talons, his hold slipped from the blood. I asked him why in the world he just didn’t break the birds neck, and he was aghast. Me, I woulda snapped the birds neck. 
Yes, a bird of prey’s major weapons are its talons. They will rarely attempt to bite with the beak. If you can get hold of their feet, they aren’t so much of a threat.
I wasn’t really attacked so much as I think I was just in the way of dinner, but I was injured by a hawk while living in Florida. It swooped down and hit me in the head, giving me a semi-nasty cut. What was more impressive was the hit, it really knocked me for a loop.
I don’t think it could or would have done much more than cut me up, I certainly don’t think it could have killed me unless, as stated before, it got a lucky shot on an artery.
This is accepted among falconers, and seems to be pretty much always the case.
The beak could be a formidable weapon, so the question arises as to why it isn’t used as one. The most convincing answer I’ve heard is that a raptor is highly dependent on its vision, and can’t afford to risk damage to its eyes.
Sounds as if it could have been a goshawk - they are notable for their nest defense.
I’ve taken a fair number of raptors out of mistnets, including forest-falcons. (Most were probably trying to get at the smaller birds already struggling in the net.) I don’t recall any ever attempting to bite, although other birds very often do. I have gotten some deep punctures from talons, though.
Screech owls bite. The bastards.
Mmmm, tortoise with salt.
Thanks for the replies! I noticed that some people have mentioned that it might be possible if the bird happened to sever an artery. From the outset, I was wondering if the talons were capable of tearing through a human skull – that is the scenario I was picturing: the bird swooping down and hitting a person in the head with the claws! Is that totally out of the question? Maybe the raptors just are not capable of such a feat! Still, I wonder… any one care to speculate?
I’ve never killed nor severely injured any human, despite my above-average size. Neither have my breatheren. I think you’re just jealous we can shit on your heads and so you need a reason to hate us.
I rather doubt that even a Harpy Eagle is powerful enough to pierce a human skull with its talons. However, I suppose that if a Harpy dove at a person’s head with full power, and hit it full force at the right angle, it might be heavy enough to dislocate or break the neck. However, that’s not what they actually do, probably because they don’t want to risk injuring themselves. When attacking someone at the nest, they may hit them a glancing blow, but not with full power. (I know people who work with Harpies, including banding chicks at nests.)
Looking back, that’s among the worst jokes I’ve ever made. But if you’ve read up to hear, you’ve already been tortured by it. Please accept my deepest apologies.
I knew I hadn’t imagined this - all those days watching lousy daytime TV movies on ‘Dialing for Dollars’ in my dissolute youth pays off at last.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present Harpy ( 1971 ), featuring death by trained Harpy Eagle:
http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=126078
- Tamerlane
Was it actually a Harpy Eagle in the movie? According to the summary,
It sounds as if the trained eagle could have been another species. A trained Harpy would be pretty tough to come by.
I think the movie title was supposed to be clever, with both the human and avian ( a female as well, I think ) version of a harpy contrasted. At any rate it certainly looked like one on casual glance ( I’ve seen them in the flesh at the San Diego Zoo of all places ), though as I recall it only came out on display for a few scenes and then wasn’t required to do much in the way of acting. If it wasn’t a Harpy Eagle, it was some other grayish, very large, crested eagle. I imagine the Philippine/New Guinea varieties would be even harder to produce.
I remember thinking what a sucky film, but where the hell did they get the magnificent Harpy Eagle :D?
- Tamerlane