Grounded: Falconer catches aggressive owl that terrorized Dutch town by swooping on residents

PURMEREND, Netherlands – A falconer has captured an aggressive eagle owl that terrorized a Dutch town by swooping out of the sky and sinking its talons into residents’ heads.

The bird earned the nickname “terror owl” in Purmerend, 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Amsterdam where it attacked some 50 people in the last year.

Some of the bird’s victims required hospital treatment to stitch up deep scratches. Residents took to walking the streets with umbrellas or wearing hats to ward off aerial attacks.

Purmerend municipality announced that a falconer it hired caught the bird Friday. It said the bird was in good health and is awaiting a suitable new home.

Alderman Mario Hegger said the municipality would have preferred to leave the “magnificent bird of prey” alone but “it became too risky.”