WorldViews: A giant owl terrorizes small Dutch town

A massive, winged creature is on the prowl, swooping down and attacking the good people of the northern Dutch town of Purmerend and sending them to the hospital. The reign of terror has become so bad that the town has advised its residents to walk around with umbrellas at night, for fear that they could become victims, Agence France-Presse reported.

On Tuesday night, the owl attacked a trainer and an athlete who were out for a run, Dutch public broadcaster Nos reported. One of the victims was left with head wounds that required stitches, AFP reported.

The owl had attacked other members of the athletic club just the night before, in what's become a weeks-long problem. The owl is also thought to be responsible for 15 attacks at a nearby home for the intellectually disabled, AFP reported.

"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," the center's spokeswoman, Liselotte de Bruijn, told AFP. "The problem is that you don't hear the owl before it strikes. Its claws are razor-sharp."

"We hope the city will soon catch this rogue bird," she added.

In a statement, the town council said the owl may have once been kept in captivity. And that makes sense; the bird may be used to being around humans and associating them with food.

The European, or Eurasian, Eagle owl, is one of the world's largest owl species, with a wingspan of more than six feet. The animal feasts on small mammals such as rats and rabbits, as well as, in some instances, young deer.