You know the difference between a pigeon and a vulture. One can fill your heart with love where another will definitely scare you. That’s the world of birds – so diverse. Some can bring peace and joy, some cause trouble and some others can even kill you. Here the list of Deadliest birds in the world.
#1: Southern Cassowary: The World’s Most Dangerous Bird
Despite being concentrated exclusively in Australia and having population numbers that put them on the endangered species list, this deadliest bird on Earth has made hundreds of attacks on humans and at least one fatality associated with the Southern Cassowary. Most of these attacks were the result of humans trying to feed or otherwise interact with these large birds.
Weighing in at 200 pounds and standing a full six feet tall, it’s one of the largest birds in existence. But its most dangerous characteristics are the three claws that grow from each foot — the longest of which is knife-like and extends to five inches.
While these talons allow the cassowary to effectively run away from predators, they can also gut a human being with a simple slash. Despite being such dangerous birds, anthropological evidence indicates that they were domesticated by humans 18,000 years ago. That’s thousands of years before the chicken.
#2: Crowned Eagle: The Only Known Avian Man-Eater
Bird fatalities are rare, and even the most dangerous of birds rarely cause injuries unless they’re first provoked — but this deadliest bird on Earth known as the African crowned eagle could be the exception that proves the rule. Their claws are viciously designed to sink into prey like meat hooks and lurch back into the sky without even pausing, and that prey includes victims as large as monkeys and even potentially children.
They’re far more deadly to small mammals like mongooses and rats, though they can also make quick work of antelopes, whose skulls they can capably crush with their powerful claws.
#3: Harpy Eagle: A Flying Killing Machine
In the rainforests of South America, few predators are as feared or effective as the harpy eagle. As the largest eagle in the Americas, it has an impressive wingspan of six and a half feet, and they’re unafraid of hunting down prey as large as sloths and monkeys as a result. But size isn’t the only advantage of these raptors, as practically everything about them seems to have been evolved for the sake of turning them into the perfect predator.
The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is considered to be the most powerful eagle in the world. Its thick tarsi (legs), strong toes, and sharp talons make this species a formidable predator.
The talons of the harpy eagle can extend to up to six inches — longer even than the average claw of a cassowary — and their hooked design allows them to grip and hold on to heavy prey while flying to their nests. Like most eagles, this species has especially good eyesight — but they also have small feathers on their face that help direct noise into their ears and provide them with a greater sense of directional hearing.
#4: Ostrich: The Heavyweight Champ of the Bird World
Ostriches have a strong data point to support their argument as the deadliest birds on the planet — at least five confirmed human deaths. Similar in physiology to the Cassowary, these birds call Africa home, and their strong legs and six-inch talons can kill a lion, disembowel a human, or even puncture the frame of a car. Fortunately, while these birds can be lethal, they rarely attack unless they feel like they’re being threatened.
Unfortunately, males tend to get very aggressive during mating season, and miscommunication has led to conflicts between humans and these birds in the past.
But even if they aren’t intent on hurting you, these dangerous birds are big enough to be terrifying. They’re the largest bird in the world, with the largest members of the species clocking in at over 300 pounds. Males can even reach a height exceeding nine feet. Practically half of that height is devoted to their awkward-looking necks.
And while these birds may look gawky, they have the speed to back up that power. They can reach a top speed of over 40 miles per hour.
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Video source: The Scary Cherry
