World of the Bizarre

Owl terrorizes town in the Netherlands

By T.K. Randall
February 27, 2015 ·  15 comments

The European eagle owl is the largest owl species in the world. Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 John Haslam The town of Purmerend in the Netherlands made headlines this week after it was revealed that dozens of its residents had suffered head injuries over the last month as a result of attacks by an aggressive owl that has been living in the vicinity.

On Tuesday the European eagle owl attacked two runners, one of which required stitches for five head wounds. A home for the disabled has also been targeted by the bird with several workers and residents being attacked after going outside after dark.

"During the day there's no problem, but at night we now only venture outside armed with umbrellas, helmets and hats, anything really, to protect ourselves," said spokeswoman Liselotte de Bruijn.The bird, which belongs to the largest owl species in the world, typically eats small birds and mammals, weighs up to 3kg and has a wingspan of up to 1.8m across.

It is believed that its strange behavior may either be the result of it being bred in captivity or due to abnormally heightened hormone levels brought on by the beginning of the mating season.

"We are advising people to stay away from the owl," said a local council spokesman.

Source: BBC News | Comments (15)

Tags: Owl, Bird, Netherlands