Ugarte
Turbocharged
Years ago I was hit in the head by a Magpie while doing about 50 mph, it just about knocked me out even with a helmet on. It did knock the magpie out, permanently. A magpie is a much smaller bird than an owl, you are right in assuming it would have killed you or at least knocked you off the bike. Birds have brought down airliners, no reason they can't bring down a biker.
When I was flying hang gliders I would encounter birds from time to time. Most were just curious and were happy to share a thermal with you, but one particular hawk thought I was a threat in some way and attacked the leading edge of the glider. No harm done but it was exciting. Ballsy bird to attack something about 20 times bigger than it.
Another time I flew over a hawk that was hovering and likely just about to attack some prey on the ground, I yelled at him and he turned upside down to expose his talons and then skidaddled away. Probably saved the life of some mouse, snake, or squirrel.
When I was flying hang gliders I would encounter birds from time to time. Most were just curious and were happy to share a thermal with you, but one particular hawk thought I was a threat in some way and attacked the leading edge of the glider. No harm done but it was exciting. Ballsy bird to attack something about 20 times bigger than it.
Another time I flew over a hawk that was hovering and likely just about to attack some prey on the ground, I yelled at him and he turned upside down to expose his talons and then skidaddled away. Probably saved the life of some mouse, snake, or squirrel.