TY  - JOUR
T1  - IMitation of typical birdcall causes ocular perforation by a tawnyowl attack
AU  - Leifert D, Haefliger IO, Pruente C
Y1  - 2004/10/01
N1  - 10.1001/archopht.122.10.1556
JO  - Archives of Ophthalmology
SP  - 1556
EP  - 1557
VL  - 122
IS  - 10
N2  - 
Bird attacks on people are rare, but they have been described for severalspecies.1 Most reports involve domesticbirds such as roosters, where the mistreated bird seems to have acted in self-defense.In the wilderness, owls, birds of prey, and magpies are known to attack people.Whereas fast-moving objects on the ground, such as joggers, seem to triggerassaults by birds of prey, magpies are reported to attack mostly childrenand often from behind.2 Owl attacks havebeen reported to occur mainly in springtime, when the young are leaving thenest.3 In this case, the attack was mostlikely provoked by the imitation of the typical birdcall of this rather aggressivespecies during the highly vulnerable prebreeding season, which is marked bythe final establishment of tawny owls' breeding territories. The fact thatthe injury was caused by the bird's claw may be typical for this species becausethis is their strongest weapon. This is in contrast to most other reportson bird attacks, in which injuries are inflicted by beak hits.

SN  - 0003-9950
M3  - doi: 10.1001/archopht.122.10.1556
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archopht.122.10.1556
ER  -