Walk close to a Barn Swallow nest with young ones and you’ll know what I mean. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Can This Critically Endangered Bird Survive Australia's New Climate Reality? We asked the experts if it’s possible. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology notes that an owl weighing less than a pound can pounce on a mouse with force equivalent to 150 times the weight of the rodent. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Peterson was out of earshot while his wife fought off the bird. It also spawned a criminal defense theory that sounds like a punch line: The owl did it. Her husband called the paramedics at 2:40 a.m., claiming he found her lifeless body on the stairs in the family’s mansion. Are the Trump Administration's Environmental Rollbacks Built to Last? If a 175-pound human were struck with the same intensity, it would feel like being hit by a 13-ton truck. A grisly whodunit may rest on the oddest criminal defense theory in recent history. She based her decision on the shape and placement of the victim’s wounds (a match to how the owl's talons would strike), the timing of the attack (in December, when owls are mating and highly territorial), the presence of the tiny feather (owl feet are covered with them), and the force of the impact. But it’s not a joke. Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. Use our database to discover the best plants for birds in your area. Evidence B: Note the small feathers that cover the Barred Owl's feet—unique to this family of birds. Kathleen Peterson's autopsy revealed seven lacerations, including very deep ones in the back of her scalp, and pine needles stuck to one of her hands, which both held clumps of her own hair. “The owl just knocked her in the head. A request for dismissal was rejected, and the case continued into 2017, when he eventually entered an Alford guilty plea. Earlier this year, Tom Ellis from Prestatyn in Wales was advised by the council to put up umbrellas to prevent sea gulls from mobbing him around his home. The owl theory never made it to court. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. If it weren’t for this misstep by the prosecution, the case might have gone in a wildly different direction—blame the owl. Birds are also less likely to attack if you keep them away from your line of sight. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. Bird attacks on people are getting more common according to wildlife experts who say the creatures are particularly likely to dive bomb those straying onto their territory at this time of year. Native plants provide birds with the food they need. Birdwatch has released this year's rankings for the most frequently spotted birds in the UK. ‘As available nest sites become harder to find these interactions will increase,’ says Dr Steve Portugal, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Ornithologists often wear hard hats when checking nests for chicks and Ms Jones says she was attacked by common terns in Massachusetts while doing her latest research. Jennifer Maharry Maharry/Audubon Photography Awards, “The views expressed in user comments do not reflect the views of Audubon. “When you look at her injuries, they do appear consistent with being made by an owl’s talons,” Peterson’s defense attorney Mary Jude Darrow tells Audubon. Red-winged blackbirds and other avian species are stepping up their divebombing attacks on humans. These owls may wear the same game face, but when it comes to personality, they’re as different as day and night. Experts say the best way to stop a bird attacking is to leave their territory. Also, as Pollard and several ornithological experts noted, the pattern and shape of the cuts on Kathleen Peterson’s head suggest a weapon quite unlike a fireplace tool. Here's how and where to spot five species in towns and cities across the U.S. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. However, these attacks – which normally happen when the bird flies into someone’s back or pecks at their head – are unlikely to cause injury. After delving into the evidence, Davis was convinced that an owl had attacked Kathleen Peterson, setting into motion the events that would lead to her death at the bottom of the stairs. Audubon does not participate in political campaigns, nor do we support or oppose candidates.”. For example, in 2015, there were repeated Barred Owl attacks on joggers in a park in Salem, Oregon. Photo: Dick Dickinson/Audubon Photography Awards. Andrea Jones, director of bird conservation at the US National Audubon Society told BBC that attacks were definitely rising. Red-winged blackbirds are not afraid to dive-bomb at joggers Bird attacks on humans are growing more common as people continue to encroach on bird nesting … Bird attacks on people are getting more common according to wildlife experts who say the creatures are particularly likely to dive bomb those straying onto their territory at this time of year. Visit your local Audubon center, join a chapter, or help save birds with your state program. Mrs. Peterson weighed 120 pounds and the suspect bird in the Owl Theory, an adult Barred Owl, weighs between one and two-and-a-half pounds and can fly at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. Audubon protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. It is lurid, tinged with drugs and alcohol, replete with an ongoing extramarital affair with a prostitute, and soaked in blood—lots of blood. She also believes people are more aware of these interactions because they are being shared on social media. Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news. (CNN) A cassowary, a giant bird with long claws on each foot, killed its owner after he fell in the backyard of his Gainesville, Florida, home, officials told CNN. And even though the "Owl Theory," which states that a Barred Owl is responsible for the chain of events that led to Kathleen Peterson's eventual demise, hasn't made it to trial yet, depending what happens next in the case, there's a slight chance it could still be presented. Legal Notices Privacy Policy Contact Us. The victims of those strikes, which earned the bird(s) the name “Owlcapone,” suffered from multiple half-inch talon cuts. You don't have to live in the middle of the woods to see an owl. He said the birds nesting on his roof had turned aggressive after their chicks hatched leaving him scared to leave the house. Evidence A: The unique orientation and sharpness of a Barred Owl's talons make them a plausible match to the deep wound marks found on murder victim Kathleen Peterson's scalp. We protect birds and the places they need. “The owl didn’t kill Kathleen Peterson,” Davis says. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. A superior court judge will decide whether to dismiss the charge that on that day, Peterson, now 73, struck his wife in the head repeatedly with a fireplace tool, causing her death by blunt force trauma. That’s where the raptor attacked. The victim then walked into the house; blood was found on the front steps and smeared on the inside of the door. Angry Birds Attacking People - Why Birds are Evil - YouTube For example, in 2015, there were repeated Barred Owl attacks on joggers in a park in Salem, Oregon. “But I would hate to risk my client’s life or future on that argument.”. Either way, Davis remains convinced that it is true.

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