The 10 Most Dangerous and deadly Birds in the World - Beautiful But Dangerous..!

  What comes to mind first when we think about deadly birds? Perhaps you don't see a hulking pterodactyl pursuing you, but you could imagine birds of prey or even huge poultry. Surprisingly, certain birds, despite their small size, may pose serious threats.

 Other birds are just harmful in ways that you may not have considered. Let's learn more about these amazing flying animals and why they made our list of the top ten most deadly and dangerous birds in the world.

 The 10 Most Dangerous and deadly Birds in the World

 1. Cassowary

Scientific Name: Casuarius
The continent of Origin: Australia
Weight: 121-167 pounds
Height: 5.8 feet
Lifespans: up to 60 years

An adult cassowary

        The colorful-faced cassowary is a wonderful flightless bird. They are Australia's heaviest bird and only second in the world after the ostrich.

 These jet black-bodied birds are classified into three types. Females are bigger and, in general, more colorful than males. These birds have a casque on their heads, which is a thick covering of keratin (what our fingernails are made of).

 While they are undeniably beautiful, they are the most hazardous bird to mankind. You won't be surprised when you see the daggers on the inside of their legs. They, like roosters, have a defensive mechanism that allows them to kick and slash possible predators.

 Even though it may be lethal if approached too closely, it is useful in the wild.

 2. Ostrich

Scientific Name: Struthio camelus
The continent of Origin: Africa
Weight: 140-320 pounds
Height: 6.9-9 feet
Lifespan: 30 to 40 years

A Common Ostrich With her babies. (image © -avibirds.com)

     

    Introducing the world's biggest bird: the ostrich. These enormous birds are excellent runners from Africa. What they lack in flying, they compensate for with incredible speed. If the two of you were in a race, they could sprint brief spurts of up to 43 miles per hour.

 As you would expect from all that activity, these birds have strong legs. Ostriches have light, fluffy feathers that are pleasant to the touch rather than tight, harsh feathers, giving them a typical shaggy appearance. Because their feathers are not impermeable like those of other birds, they may become wet.

 When an ostrich is afraid, legend has it that it buries its head in the sand. While this may seem to be the case from a distance, it is not the case. As a sort of camouflage, they just extend out on the ground.

 When it comes to fitness or flight, these birds can unleash a tremendous kick powerful enough to kill a lion—so they're not joking.

 3. Emu

Scientific Name: Dromaius novaehollandiae
The continent of Origin: Australia
Weight: 79-88 pounds
Height: 5.7-6 feet
Lifespan: 25 to 28 years

(image © -australian.museum)

   

   The emu is the world's second-largest bird, although not its heaviest (that award goes to the cassowary, as we mentioned earlier in the article.) These fluffy, flightless species, which resemble ostriches, carry a powerful punch.

 They, too, have strong, muscular legs with three forward-facing toes that help them to move quickly. At maximum speed, an adult emu can sprint up to 30 miles per hour. Their fluffy body feathers provide a natural sunscreen or an additional layer of protection.

 The emu, like the previous two birds described, scares off predators by kicking them hard. In captivity, they also have fairly sassy attitudes and may be quite deadly if not treated correctly.

 4. Lammergeier

Scientific Name: Gypaetus barbatus
The continent of Origin: Asia, Africa
Weight: 13 pounds
Height: 40 inches
Lifespan: up to 40 years

(Image © -freepik.com)

  

   One glance at the lammergeier could be enough to terrify the pants off you and in this instance, appearances aren't misleading. These big birds resemble eagles, but they are shaggier and more malevolent. They consume carrion and bones, so they don't pose much of a hazard to living things, but there's a catch.

 These birds are known as "lamb vultures." And why, you ask? Because these birds are huge enough to steal cattle and even young children. Thankfully, the chances of such occurring are little to none since these vultures favor dead things.

 If you wander across their domain, you could receive something dropped on your head. These birds will often carry bones to dizzying heights before dropping them to the earth.

 So, if you happen to be underneath it, it might certainly do some harm. The odds of such occurring are approximately the same as being struck by lightning. So you're probably safe from the lammergeier.

 5. Great Horned Owl

Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
The continent of Origin: North America
Weight: 3.2 pounds
Height: 24 inches
Lifespan: 13 to 20 years

   While the magnificent great-horned owl is a ferocious predator, it poses little danger to people. While uncommon, an owl may attack a hiker or walker if they get too near to a nest.

 If you live in the country, these ferocious predators might pose a serious threat to your home pets. These huge birds may easily prey on small-breed dogs and cats. Because of their strong grasp, owl injuries may be incredibly difficult to cure.

Fortunately, most dogs and cats stay home or seek cover at night, making this a remote possibility. However, if the owl had that chance, they would very certainly attack. Squirrels, opossums, geese, hawks, snakes, and frogs are their primary food choices.

 6. Red-Tailed Hawk

Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis

The continent of Origin: North America

Weight: 2.4 pounds

Height: 18-26 inches

Lifespan: 10 to 15 years

(Image © - worldatlas.com)

     In the wild, the red-tailed hawk is a violent and merciless predator. It often snatches victims before they even know what's occurring. Though hawks are not often deadly to humans, they may be dangerous to smaller animals such as chickens.

 Red-tailed hawks hunt throughout the day yet blend in incredibly well with the natural environment. These efficient fliers have lightning-fast targeting abilities. They have powerful talons with which they collapse and hold their prey.

The Red-tailed hawks are day hunters with keen vision and precision flying. Interestingly, although this hawk will consume a variety of smaller rodents and reptiles, they may also consume carrion if hungry enough.

 There are falconry organizations that lawfully possess and fly hawks for entertainment purposes. These hawks will fly out to hunt and return with their catch. Before obtaining a license, you must complete specific training with a mentor.

 7. Great Northern Loon

Scientific Name: Gavia immer
The continent of Origin: Europe
Weight: 3.5-18 pounds
Height: 27-36 inches
Lifespan: 15 to 30 years

(Image © - britannica.com)

   The great northern loon belongs to the diving bird family. These lovely ducks have fascinating speckled patterns, blackheads, and bright red eyes.

 These birds may seem to be innocent, yet they may become rather aggressive during nesting season. If you manage to come upon their eggs, their beaks may rip and tear, causing considerable harm. If they feel threatened, they will use their beak like a sword to attack the predator.

 Even scarier, they often attack the head, neck, and eyes. So, during nesting season, your best strategy is to keep as far away from them as possible. They often nest near lakeshores, so keep an eye out between May and late June.

 8. Mute Swan

Scientific Name: Cygnus olor
The continent of Origin: North America
Weight: 19-26 pounds
Height: 47 inches
Lifespan: 20 to 30 years

(Image © - gettyimages.com)

   Mute swans, which may weigh up to 26 pounds, are among the biggest waterfowl. These birds are well-known for forming lifelong couples and swimming beautifully. These gorgeous animals may seem tranquil on the water, yet they are wary of any dangers. They are the most aggressive of the waterfowl species.

 Swans will be unconcerned as long as their territory is not threatened. When it comes time to mate, nest, and rear their young, these aggressive birds drive out practically all neighboring creatures. They also drive local birds away from their nests in order to keep the place alone while they inhabit it.

 Even though swans may be highly cantankerous if disturbed, you can prevent this behavior entirely by avoiding breeding areas. It's nice to sit back and admire these elegant animals, but maintain your distance.

 9. Australian Magpie

Scientific Name Gymnorhina tibicen
The continent of Origin: Australia
Weight: 708-12.3 ounces
Height: 14.5-17 inches
Lifespan: 25 years

(Image © - gettyimages.com)

   

        The Australian magpie is a medium-sized black and white passerine. They resemble the American crow and raven in appearance. But don't be fooled by their beauty; these birds are very territorial, with reports of assaults every year.

 When there is a perceived danger near their nesting location, they will attempt to "swoop" at the intruder. If they can, they will keep doing this, becoming more aggressive each time. It is so widespread in Australia that they call their nesting season "swooping season."

 Magpie swooping tragically resulted in the death of a five-month-old infant in Australia towards the end of summer. The magpie caused the baby's mother to slip and fall, causing her to be dropped. Despite being transported to the hospital, the infant died soon afterward.

 While it is not fair to suggest that magpies kill people, they may provide dangers and infection concerns.

 10. European Herring Gull

Scientific Name: Larus argentatus
The continent of Origin: Europe
Weight: 1.6-2.4 pounds
Height: 24-26 inches
Lifespan: up to 50 years

(image © - bbc.co)

          Although the European herring gull may seem to be a beach bird at first appearance, these birds may be rather testy during the breeding season. These birds may be found around Europe's coasts, depositing eggs on beaches. They usually congregate in couples that mate for life.

 When eggs are incubating, males fiercely defend the territory, keeping an eye out for any possible threats. They are so possessive that they may sometimes murder unfamiliar chicks of their own species. They have even been seen attacking dogs on the beach.

 They're inquisitive birds while being a touch feisty when it comes to guarding their young. They like stealing food from beaches and sniffing around to see if you have anything to give.

 

Conclusion

When we think of deadly creatures, birds may not even come to mind. However, when you look at all of the strong, aggressive diverse species, you can see that some of these birds mean business.

 Even though some of these birds seem to be bullies, they are only doing what nature intended.

Source: opticsmag.com