It makes me curious what understanding they have that they're pretty safe from the owl (or hawk, eagle, etc) since any injury can be detrimental to the raptor. It's much safer to just move along than to risk a fight.

We take for granted the medical things we have likely all around us, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, up to defibrillators in most businesses nowadays, but the animals are in a warzone every day not able to do a thing about even the smallest scratch. That makes even the littlest guy with a beak or claws someone you don't want to mess with if you can help it.