Can birds kill you

Answer 1

It is surprisingly common for birds to attack human beings during nesting or mating periods and occassionally deaths do occur. Predatory birds such as hawks, owls, and eagles typically hunt smaller animals for prey/food but will attack people when threatened and the Red tailed Hawk of North America is particularly aggressive inflicting serious injuries every year. It is worth noting that myths and legends abound with stories of large eagles carrying away infants and small children ! Having seen eagles bring down large deer or carry away large mountain sheep in their talons before deliberately dropping them off a cliff in order to kill and eat them these tales are plausible.

The Australian Magpie is renowned for its aggressive behaviour during spring while nesting and raising its chicks.It is responsible for numerous serious injuries (including blindness) requiring hospital attention because it dive bombs its targets from a height and using its sharp beak it aims for the eyes face and the back of the head .On rare occassions these attacks have resulted in death.

Ostritches in Africa also injure and occassionally kill people.Deaths have also been recorded from swans , European Herring gulls and once a loon in Canada (species Gaviiformer) stabbed a researcher straight through the heart with its lethally sharp beak. Cassowaries in Australia have also caused numerous injuries and although easily able to kill a human being only one actual death has been confirmed (although 3 fatalities are attributed to this species) .In fact injuries caused by birds are surprisingly common

The five main diseases that can be carried by birds are Salmonella, Chlamydia psittaci , Avian Tuberculosis (human beings are usually very resistant to this illness), HistoPlasmosis (a fungus that grows on bird droppingsthat may become airborn and breathed in)and Cryptoccus.Some of these illnesses can cause death in people with poor functioning immune systems.

Bird flu also known as Avian influenza is also capable of causing illness and even death in human beings. The most highly pathogenic strain is H5N1.