Exploring Nature: Dangerous Birds

Ever wonder which are the most dangerous birds in the world?

Well, considering how many people own them, and how powerful their beaks are, I would think parrots would be high on the list. They certainly can do major damage if so inclined.

However, the three top birds for hurting a human would probably be the ostrich, the southern cassowary and the emu.

The late Johnny Cash could testify to the danger of an ostrich. He owned an exotic animal park and once swung a board at an ostrich on his property. The angry bird responded with a kick to Cash’s stomach that sent him tumbling. It could easily have killed the famous singer except for his very strong and heavy belt buckle.

Ostriches in Africa have been known to kill a lion with a single kick. At nine feet tall and weighing some 330 pounds, this is a bird to be reckoned with. And don’t think you’ll outrun an angry ostrich; they can zoom along at over 45 miles per hour.

The southern cassowary is found in Australia and New Zealand and sports a long, sharp toenail. Its top speed is about 30 miles per hour. A teenage boy was killed in 1926, after teasing a captive cassowary.

Finally, the emu is another bird that sometimes attacks people. This was a very popular bird in private aviaries not long ago, but not so much in recent years. The native emu hangs out in Australia and up to 100 attacks have been reported there in a single year.