# Raptor capable of preying on humans ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014 "2011-03-25T22:34:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/41 "2011-03-26T14:31:07Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > I assume the reasoning is that you “simply” place the tree between yourself and the eagle. > > So, class. > > A stooping eagle travels at 170km/hr. Our sharp-eyed friend manages to see the eagle from 250m away, an impressive feat in itself. If the nearest tree is just 50 metres away… > > How fast does he need to accelerate from standing start to make it to the nearest tree before being hit? > > Answer: about the same speed as an Olympic qualifying time. Will our friend run faster if they are on fire? ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/42 "2011-03-26T14:33:04Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Do you have something to substantiate this. Because I have seen dog skulls, and I’ve seen human skulls, and I’m not buying it. Human skulls are more akin to sheep or deer skulls than the light skull of a wolf. I’ve personally handled two wolf skulls, and two archeological human skulls. I have not handled dog skulls. The wolf skulls were quite robust, dense and compact, even compared to the human skulls, which were certainly thicker-walled. I have also handled many deer skulls, no sheep. Contrary to the size and mass of the mandible, teeth etc., a deer cranium is surprisingly fragile, as it is in many human-sized or larger animals such as seal, moose, bear etc. in my experience. Maybe human craniums are stronger than most, haven’t smashed any of those, although they are nothing compared to goat craniums which have frontal parts approaching 1" in thickness (and hearty hammer strikes bounce off them to no effect). Subjectively, I’m not seeing much in favor of human skulls over wolf skulls with regards to a raptor attack. If anything, the high, flat-sided cranium of a human might be easier to grip and damage with large-enough raptor feet than the low, rounded, slopy skull of a wolf. An average human neck seems much weaker than an average wolf neck. Neck injuries from an eagle thrashing one’s head might happen easier on the former. > [@Blake](#): > > Easily is overstating it. Clearly they can’t easily kill large macropods, which is why is why such kills have never been verified. They almost certainly are capable of such kills, but they clearly don’t find it easy, instead it is an act of last resort. You handily left out the relevant latter part of my claim, the need of having a semi-wild eagle within an arm’s length of a person for the easy killing to happen. Still, I admit some overstating. Killing an adult human probably isn’t easy, just plausible enough for it to happen very occasionally to eagle handlers. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/43 "2011-03-26T14:37:16Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Nor do killer whales. > > What exactly is your point?😕 They are the largest raptors capable of preying on humans. Why are you confused? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/44 "2011-03-26T14:43:32Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Killing an adult human probably isn’t easy, just plausible enough for it to happen very occasionally to eagle handlers. Are you aware of any documented cases? [QUOTE=Blake] The presence of a dense canopy is a hinderance to eagles. [/QUOTE] I would just note that this may apply to _Aquila_ eagles, but that there are others, such as the Harpy and Crested, that hunt in dense forest and virtually never are seen outside it. A dense canopy is useful to them since they hunt by ambush from within it. [QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] They are the largest raptors capable of preying on humans. [/QUOTE] Ostriches and emus are not “raptors” by any definition of the word. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/45 "2011-03-26T14:44:39Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > They are the largest raptors capable of preying on humans. Why are you confused? I am still confused. Are you saying that emus are raptors? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/46 "2011-03-26T14:53:15Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > I am still confused. > > Are you saying that emus are raptors? 😕 All birds are raptors so yes. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/47 "2011-03-26T15:02:56Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > All birds are raptors so yes. No. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/48 "2011-03-26T15:04:19Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Are you aware of any documented cases? Back in the '90’s when I studied Eurasian hunting traditions, I bumped into more than one references of such taking place in Central Asia. Probably in nothing printed after 1950 or so. I’ll try and see if I can dig up something (just another occasion I wish I’d taken notes religiously). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/49 "2011-03-26T16:14:08Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > All birds are raptors so yes. The only way for all birds to be raptors would be if all of the birds who weren’t raptors got killed and maybe eaten. Raptor is another name for “Bird of Prey” (Hence what the Klingons call their warships on Enterprise.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/50 "2011-03-26T17:52:38Z")
I’d love to see a raptor penguin. ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Clark\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_K)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/51 "2011-03-26T18:22:55Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’d love to see a raptor penguin. > **[Redirect Notice](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http:%2F%2Fposterpalace.com%2Fimages%2Fstills%2Fbatman66penguinS.jpg&imgrefurl=http:%2F%2Fposterpalace.com%2Fdetail.lasso%3Fproduct_id%3D378&h=455&w=358&sz=35&tbnid=0uHdzAwuus64zM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=101&prev=%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dpenguin%2Bbatman%2Bimages&zoom=1&q=penguin%2Bbatman%2Bimages&usg=__-2_ZLxR2WNrXT9r-dRU9-XqQJoE=&sa=X&ei=1y6OTeWjDdStgQfWmdG4DQ&ved=0CB0Q9QEwAw)** ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/52 "2011-03-26T18:58:37Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > This is the reason I think we don’t have cases of eagles actually hunting down humans (although there are very few trees where the eagle typically hunt, precisely because they offer protection to men and beast alike). The scenario I gave above features a semi-tame eagle perched on the arm of the hunter. Now, if the bird suddenly decides to jump on your face and clamp down, there’s little you can do before experiencing excruciating pain, heavy bleeding, loss of sight etc. Kind of like a gator wrangler sticking his head inside a gator mouth, then having it snap its jaws shut. Not exactly a realistic prey-predator interaction. Agreed. The pet-gone-crazy is the best (worst?) scenario. > [@Blake](#): > > I think you are missing two important points. > > Firstly the question was whether it could be done, not whether it would always work. I certainly didn’t miss that point. That’s why I said “I just don’t see it” and not “No way”. Secondly, I think you have overestimated how easy it is to see an eagle stooping. If getting behind a tree was such an effective defence, why do you think that no other prey species on the entire planet has managed to evolve such a simple action? The simple fact is that eagles have evolved to counter such simple defences. I’ve spent the vast majority of my life living and working in rural areas, and pretty much the only time you see eagles is when they are at a kill, at the nest or gaining height. The rest of the time they cruise at high altitude where they can not easily be seen. I have often watched eagles riding thermals to heights where they literally become invisible. Indeed, on the rare occasions when you do see eagles away from a kill, they are almost invariably rising. You don’t really see hunting eagles. When they do stoop on their prey, it is fast and usually silent, it also comes from behind. Is the vast majority of species that are regularly preyed upon by eagles haven’t evolved any mechanism to allow them to see it coming, that should be evidence enough that it’s not easily done. [/QUOTE] The thng is that while an eagle can catch and kill a small mammal in one swoop, it can’t do it with a human . So, even if that eagle simply wants to kill you, once it stops flying it loses its advantage. If it goes airborne again, you’d be ready for it. > [@Triskadecamus](#): > > How do you tell which side of the tree is “behind”? > > Tris [This might help](http://bogglesworldesl.com/flashcardsESL/preposition_cards1.jpg), and more. > [@Blake](#): > > I assume the reasoning is that you “simply” place the tree between yourself and the eagle. > > So, class. > > A stooping eagle travels at 170km/hr. Our sharp-eyed friend manages to see the eagle from 250m away, an impressive feat in itself. If the nearest tree is just 50 metres away… > > How fast does he need to accelerate from standing start to make it to the nearest tree before being hit? > > Answer: about the same speed as an Olympic qualifying time. So, class, you need to work a bit more on conditionals. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/53 "2011-03-26T20:10:54Z")
From "[raptor -bird of prey" wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_of_prey) > [@](#): > > Taken literally the term “bird of prey” has a wide meaning that includes many birds that hunt and feed on animals and also birds that eat very small insects.[2] In ornithology, and the definition used here, the term has a narrower meaning for birds that have very good eye sight for finding food, strong feet for holding food, and a strong curved beak for tearing flesh.[3] Most birds of prey also have strong curved talons for catching or killing prey.[3] Birds of prey generally prey on vertebrates, which are usually quite large relative to the size of the bird.[2] Most also eat carrion at least occasionally and the vultures and condors eat carrion as their main food source.[3] By way of an examples, the narrower definition excludes storks and gulls, which can eat quite large fish, partly because these birds catch and kill prey entirely with their beaks,[2] and similarly bird-eating skuas, fish-eating penguins, and vertebrate-eating kookaburras are excluded. > > Using this cluster of anatomical and behavioural features, the species listed below are usually known to be birds of prey in ornithology. They can be divided into species that hunt during daylight, the raptors, and into species that hunt during the night, the owls. The raptors and the owls are distantly related and are classified in separate orders; however, their evolution has been convergent, both groups of birds adapting to a predatory lifestyle ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/54 "2011-03-26T20:17:16Z")
Not still alive but still pretty awesome [Terror birds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae) > [@](#): > > A recently discovered species, Kelenken guillermoi from Middle Miocene some 15 million years ago, discovered in Patagonia in 2006, represents the largest bird skull yet found. The fossil has been described as being a 71 cm (28 in), nearly intact skull. The beak is roughly 46 cm (18 in) long and curves in a hook shape that resembles an eagle’s beak. Most species described as phorusrhacid birds were smaller, 60–90 cm (2.0–3.0 ft) tall, but the new fossil belongs to a bird that probably stood about 3 m (9.8 ft) tall. Although scientists cannot be sure, they theorize that the large terror birds were extremely nimble and quick runners able to reach speeds of 48 km/h (30 mph).[6] See fossil skull [http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Largest-Terror-Bird-38936.shtml](http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Largest-Terror-Bird-38936.shtml) > [@](#): > > The new species, still without a name, was about ten feet (3 m) tall, 1000 pounds (400 kg) weight and had a head as big as that of a horse. Bones found are a limb bone and 28-inch, nearly intact skull. These terror birds could have swallowed dog-size prey at once. > > The bird’s most striking feature-literally-was its giant skull, a roughly 18-inch (46 cm) beak with a sharp, curving hook shaped like an eagle’s beak. “Whether the flightless birds used their beaks to impale or bludgeon their prey is unknown, Chiappe says. But a single hit from their massive skull[s] would have killed anything immediately.” > > “This is by far the best skull preserved” for a large terror bird, Chiappe said. > > “We also have some of the foot bones [from] the same animal, which is great, because it allows us to make inferences about the speed of this animal.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/55 "2011-03-27T00:26:28Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’d love to see a raptor penguin. I bet you’ve never heard of anyone _surviving_ a penguin attack. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/56 "2011-03-27T03:11:28Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > I bet you’ve never heard of anyone _surviving_ a penguin attack. “Some people have told me they don’t think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen a angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100 mph. They’d be a lot more careful about what they say if they had.” — Linus Torvalds ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/57 "2011-03-27T03:33:09Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > All birds are raptors so yes. Please don’t post nonsense. That’s like saying all birds are sparrows. From Merriam Webster: rap·tor noun \ˈrap-tər, -ˌtȯr 1: bird of prey 2 [New Latin -raptor (as in velociraptor)] : a usually small-to-medium-sized predatory dinosaur (as a velociraptor or deinonychus) bird of prey : a carnivorous bird (as a hawk, falcon, or vulture) that feeds wholly or chiefly on meat taken by hunting or on carrion. ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014/58 "2011-03-27T05:29:48Z")
Raptor or no raptor beware of the cassowary of Australia and New Guinea: [Cassowary Attack](http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/animals/cassowary-attacks.htm) The 3rd tallest and 2nd heaviest of birds (~6.0ft ~130lb max) its middle toe bears a 5-inch long dagger-like nail. Although Googling indicates only one confirmed human death from a cassowary attack I think one look at the pictures should convince anyone of the folly of taking any chances with this bird. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raptor-capable-of-preying-on-humans/576014.md?page=2)