9 Deadliest Birds on the Planet

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00:00 Today we're bringing you the 9 deadliest birds on the planet.

00:03 Welcome to another episode of Forever Green.

00:06 And if you're wondering about the most dangerous birds in the world, you'll want to stick

00:10 around for number 1, because this bird is actually poisonous.

00:14 Most birds bring peace and joy to our planet, while some can cause us a fair bit of annoyance.

00:20 But the birds on today's list cause nothing but trouble to their fellow animal friends

00:24 and us humans, sometimes even resulting in death.

00:29 So strap yourselves in and let's take a look at these dangerous birds.

00:36 Cassowary This prehistoric looking bird may look awesome,

00:39 but you want to think twice before getting too close to a cassowary.

00:43 With a weight of up to 175 pounds and a height of 5 feet, the Australian Cassowary is the

00:48 second largest bird in the world.

00:51 Like ostriches, a kick of their powerful legs is their go-to method of attack.

00:55 However, unlike their less colorful counterparts, these guys sport a 4-inch dagger-like claw

01:01 they use to strike their victims while jumping at them.

01:05 Although they tend to stick to themselves, the cassowary can be fiercely territorial

01:09 and turn aggressive when disturbed.

01:11 One of the most famous attacks occurred in 1926, when a teenage boy who was hunting these

01:16 birds was killed after a cassowary toppled over him, and slashed his jugular while he

01:22 was on the ground.

01:23 Recently, a 75-year-old exotic animal collector called Marvin Hayos was also killed by a cassowary

01:29 that he kept on his property.

01:31 And while these are the only two recorded human fatalities from cassowaries, they're

01:35 sure enough to make us rethink provoking one of these majestic birds.

01:39 If you think a large cassowary sounds scary, wait until you see the pretty little bird

01:44 at number one, because it's actually poisonous.

01:49 Australian Magpie After the cassowary, the Australian magpie

01:53 is probably the second most dangerous bird in the land down under.

01:57 During their nesting period, Australian magpies are known to become highly aggressive.

02:01 And while their behavior is well-meant, you do not want to come near one of these while

02:05 they're protecting their nest.

02:07 Because their habitats often include residential areas, there have been countless recorded

02:11 incidents of the bird purposely attacking humans.

02:15 The issue is so common that some Australian municipalities recommend pedestrians wear

02:19 wide-brimmed hats or carry umbrellas during magpie breeding season, should they need to

02:24 defend themselves from an attack.

02:27 To inflict serious injury, an unexpected attack on a cyclist or pedestrian can easily result

02:33 in a traffic accident.

02:36 Southern Giant Petrel When you're thinking of apex predators, the

02:41 last thing that comes to mind is a seabird, right?

02:44 Well, think again.

02:46 The Southern Giant Petrel is an extremely large seabird and an aggressive airborne predator

02:51 that feeds both on dead flesh and live prey.

02:56 These guys sport a wingspan of up to 6 feet and are able to reach speeds of up to 45 miles

03:01 per hour, which they use to mercilessly dive down on their prey.

03:05 The Giant Petrel has no natural predators and will cold-bloodedly hunt other seabirds,

03:11 such as penguin babies and even injured adult penguins.

03:15 Larger petrels have even been spotted drowning albatrosses and other larger birds by holding

03:19 them underwater and feeding on them later.

03:22 Seabirds?

03:23 Yeah, right.

03:24 These guys are almost as fast and as dangerous as an eagle.

03:28 Bearded Vulture The Bearded Vulture, also known as the Lamagear,

03:33 is one of the oldest and largest vultures in the world.

03:36 These massive birds have a wingspan of up to 9 feet wide and can even weigh as much

03:42 as 15 pounds.

03:44 These big, eagle-like vultures dine mainly on decaying dead animals, with 90% of their

03:49 diet coming from bones.

03:52 And while you needn't necessarily be worried of an attack, you do not want to be walking

03:56 under a feeding Lamagear.

03:58 These bearded vultures drop bones onto stone from up to 250 feet high in order to smash

04:04 them open and feed on the marrow.

04:06 They use the same dropping technique for prey like hard-shelled tortoises, which could cause

04:10 severe injuries to anyone who finds themselves in their drop zone.

04:16 Peregrine Falcon If you thought the eagle was an apex predator,

04:21 then wait until you hear about the Peregrine Falcon.

04:24 Lesser birds, rodents, bats, and small reptiles from the Arctic all the way to the tropics

04:30 need to keep an eye in the sky for those extremely skilled hunters, or quite frankly, end up

04:36 as dinner.

04:37 These birds are masters of the sky, and their refined predatory abilities have made them

04:41 some of the most widespread birds on the face of the planet.

04:45 Peregrine Falcons are the fastest flying birds in the world, reaching speeds of up to 240

04:51 miles per hour when diving for their prey.

04:54 With speeds like that, even animals with the most incredible reflexes don't stand a chance

04:59 once a peregrine lays its eyes on them.

05:02 Great Horned Owl Similar to magpies, owls of all kinds have

05:08 been known to attack people when defending their young, their mates, or their territories,

05:14 with targets often including unsuspecting joggers and hikers.

05:18 However, the Great Horned Owl in particular has made a pretty big name for itself in a

05:23 few high-profile attacks.

05:26 Horned owls are native to the Americas, and usually eat small rodents and birds, but have

05:32 been known to carry off larger prey.

05:35 With talons that have a clutching force of about 500 psi, which is the same biting force

05:40 of a large dog, these owls are not to be messed with.

05:44 Don't believe us?

05:45 Take a look at this rabbit hunter, who CBC reported had been clawed by a Great Horned

05:50 Owl.

05:51 Deaths from owl attacks are extremely rare, but you best be keeping an eye in the sky

05:55 anyway if you know one of these guys is around.

05:59 The Crowned Eagle The crowned eagle, also known as the Leopard

06:03 of the Skies, is native to sub-Saharan Africa, and is arguably the deadliest bird of prey

06:09 to other mammals.

06:10 Self-proclaimed kings of the skies, these predators will feed on anything from small

06:14 rodents to larger deer-like animals and even small monkeys.

06:19 In 2015, a crowned eagle reportedly swooped down into a lady's garden and killed her little

06:24 Chihuahua Pekingese one early morning.

06:27 There have even been rumors that the skulls of young children were found in crowned eagle

06:31 nests.

06:32 The oldest humanoid fossil, the Tongue Child, is the skull of an early human Australopithecus

06:37 child who appears to have died of injuries consistent with an attack by a crowned eagle.

06:42 Distinctive markings around the eye sockets indicate that its flesh had been stripped

06:46 by a bird's talons, which is similar to what crowned eagles do to monkeys.

06:50 That's nature for you kids.

06:53 Mute Swans The beauty of mute swans may entice you to

06:57 get closer and bewonder these magnificent creatures, but be warned.

07:03 Especially when nesting, these waterfowls can turn aggressive and can pose a real danger

07:08 to you.

07:10 It's better to keep a safe distance from mute swans, especially for children.

07:14 When approaching mute swans, they are likely to make a fast approach while hissing and

07:18 striking their wings at you to defend their territory.

07:20 And while they're not notoriously dangerous to us humans, in 2012, a 37-year-old man in

07:25 Chicago was however killed by a swan.

07:29 He was reportedly kayaking in a pond near his area when a mute swan capsized his boat

07:33 and prevented him from swimming ashore, which eventually caused him to drown to death.

07:38 The moral of this tragic story?

07:40 Next time you're at a pond, leave the swans be.

07:42 Feed the ducks instead.

07:46 Before we reveal number one, be sure to check out other amazing videos on our channel and

07:50 give us a like if you enjoyed this video so far.

07:53 Also tell us in the comments which one of these is most frightening according to you.

08:00 Pitohui And at the top of our list is the colorful

08:04 Pitohui.

08:05 At first sight, you would never think it would be the most dangerous bird on the planet.

08:09 But wait until you hear its dark secret.

08:12 The Pitohui is the only poisonous bird on the planet.

08:15 That's right.

08:16 Although it looks pretty and sings an attractive song, people in Papua New Guinea have known

08:21 to stay away from this poisonous bird for centuries.

08:24 Its feathers contain toxic levels of neurotoxic alkaloids similar to those produced by the

08:29 poison dart frog.

08:31 In high enough doses, such toxins can lead to paralysis and even death.

08:36 But the Pitohui doesn't naturally produce its own poison.

08:39 It's actually a result of eating Shore Sea beetles, which make up a large part of the

08:43 bird's diet.

08:44 But regardless of how the Pitohui produces its toxins, this is one bird you want to steer

08:49 clear of.

08:50 And that's it for the deadliest birds in the world.

08:53 Which of these birds do you think is the most dangerous?

08:56 Let us know in the comments below.

08:58 Oh, and if you found this video interesting, you're going to love our video on the screen.

09:03 If you haven't yet, don't forget to like the video and subscribe to Forever Green for more

09:08 incredible animal videos.

09:10 See you in the next one.

09:12 (upbeat music)

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