Beware of the birds! 3 reader reports from north West Seattle

You know we love birds and are honored to receive beautiful photos to share here several times a week. But – on occasion, birds can be dangerous too, especially in nesting season, and we have three recent reports to share. First one is just in from Greg:

I wanted to give a heads up to anyone that runs or walks on Fairmount (Ave) about an aggressive owl.

Last night around dusk I was running when I felt something on my head and realized an owl had clawed me. It hovered above and made a few more swipes. I scared it off and then about 100 yards later it swooped again, clawing the back of my head. I didn’t see any blood but it feels like I have a scratch – hard to tell under my hair.

It was white, possibly a barred owl – a white, beautiful bird. It was silent as it approached. The incident happened downhill of where Admiral street crosses over – basically half way between the bridge underpass and the homes on the road.

I’ve heard owls like this will repeat the behavior, so I want to make sure people are aware.

Carl reported the same thing recently:

I normally go jogging around 8-9 at night. This might I was running down Fairmount ravine in the dark when something sharp clawed my head. This was north of the Admiral Way overpass. The owl would not let go for at least 50 meters and I had to shine a light in his face for him not to attack me. He tried several more times to dive bomb me.

The ravine is not far, by the way, from where Rose reported an attack along Harbor Avenue two months ago.

Our third report: A crow got aggressive outside the West Seattle (Admiral) Library one morning this week, reported by Karin:

Have you heard about a territorial crow at the West Seattle library? I put some books in the book drop … and a crow attacked me. It followed me to Met Market, cawing and diving at me. It didn’t touch me, but it certainly scared me! I’m wondering if it was me or if I just got too close to a nest. Either way, I’m avoiding the library for a while…

From the state’s excellent Living With Wildlife series, here’s information about dive-bombing crows, and a similar note about owls.

24 Replies to "Beware of the birds! 3 reader reports from north West Seattle"

  • sheldon May 28, 2016 (2:32 pm)

    Wow. These are amazing incidents. I wonder if there’s something that’s making these birds more aggressive?  Scary experiences nonetheless.  Glad everyone is ok, and the birds too.

    • Linda May 28, 2016 (8:18 pm)

      Most likely they are protecting fledgling chicks.  It’s what they do…

    • bolo May 28, 2016 (9:58 pm)

      “I wonder if there’s something that’s making these birds more aggressive?”

      Maybe loss of habitat is forcing them into closer quarters with humans than in the past?

  • workdowntown May 28, 2016 (2:44 pm)

    Yep, crows are mean again. I live about a block north of the admiral library. There were 3 crows in my backyard this morning dive bombing my little dog. Must have a nest or baby on the ground.  

  • Alan May 28, 2016 (3:29 pm)

    It probably wasn’t anything personal, but I would still avoid the library for a while! Crows hold a grudge.

    http://www.washington.edu/news/2012/09/10/crows-react-to-threats-in-human-like-way/

  • Rod Clark May 28, 2016 (3:44 pm)

    Last week I saw a sudden flurry at the edge of the sidewalk, next to a hedge, about 30 feet ahead of where I was walking. A crow had caught a tiny brown stripey bird in its claws and was tearing at it with its beak. The tiny bird fluttered and struggled for a second or two but couldn’t get loose. Then the crow flew off with it behind the hedge. Now I think of them them as more aggressive hunting birds than before.

    • pupsarebest May 28, 2016 (8:16 pm)

      I know many people like crows, but I am not one of them.

      Yes, they are very smart, and in their monochromatic way, beautiful—but, mean, mean, mean,  to all other birds, large and small.

      I have shed tears of anger, friustration and sadness, listening to robins crying in distress as crows raid their nests for eggs or babies. 

      Not a lovable bird, to say the least.

      • D. Radke-Bogen May 28, 2016 (9:26 pm)

        Smart, hangout in groups and talk loudly, monogamous with some cheating, family oriented, murderous hunters who aggressively protect their families, a good description of humans. This is the division between crow appreciaters and haters, they are to much like us.

  • Free speech May 28, 2016 (8:59 pm)

    Stay away from phone booths , gas stations and one room school houses🐦

    • FauntleeHillBill May 28, 2016 (11:18 pm)

      …and don’t follow leaders and watch yer parkin’ meters

  • Person May 28, 2016 (9:02 pm)

    Funny timing. A crowd swooped me at the library about an hour ago.

  • A J May 28, 2016 (9:16 pm)

    They have babies in a tree near by and both get very aggressive if you walk anywhere close.  Usually last for 4 week but it is shocking when it happens.   I go across the street where I am not under the trees but the library should warm people.

  • D. Radke-Bogen May 28, 2016 (9:36 pm)

    I agree with AJ, let them have their space. It’s the month in which crow babies leave the nest and live on the ground until they are able to fly. Like our own children, this is a time when the kids drive you nuts. 

    DRB

  • Mary May 28, 2016 (10:11 pm)

    That’s our barred owl Horton. He has a mate and is likely protecting a nest. They live behind our house. Please don’t spook them. We love them.

  • Jeff May 28, 2016 (10:20 pm)

    Wow, I was walking down 49th around Oregon with and noticed some black bird flying lower than usual. A minute later something brushed the top of my head and kept going. Very eerie. Never had anything like this happen before…

    What would Tippi Hedren do?

  • Janice May 29, 2016 (8:01 am)

    My husband got attacked by a chickadee the other day.  We later saw 4 babies lined up on the fence waiting to be fed.

  • AF May 29, 2016 (9:02 am)

    This happened to me in Montlake a few years ago where I work during fledgling season. If you have to go back to that area for the next few weeks an umbrella helps. This is for the crows though. I don’t know what’s up with the owl.

  • Felix May 29, 2016 (10:32 am)

    Feed your local crow….they will be your friend…our local breeding pair become very gregarious with us this time of year..perching on the porch roof so they can see us inside (and so we can see them)..

    “Hey…you there, on the couch, got anymore of those peanuts…..”

  • Felix May 29, 2016 (10:54 am)

    Also amusing to watch, how our crows relentlessly harass the local Raccoon…every morning and evening, dive bombing and chasing them around the neighborhood.

     The hatred in their voice ( somewhere between a growl and a caw ) is palpable.

  • 46th and Oregon May 29, 2016 (11:15 am)

    Jeff, I was attacked by the same crow! It swooped down on me three times. I’ve heard that if you cross the street the bird will usually stop, but that didn’t seem to do anything. It didn’t attack after I stopped and stared at it, but now I’m sure it remembers my face…

  • dobro May 29, 2016 (12:18 pm)

    I got buzzed by the library crow, too.  An unpleasant experience, for sure!

  • Michelle May 29, 2016 (2:22 pm)

    The Admiral clear cutters destroyed their homes and they’re pissed! 

  • Amy B. May 29, 2016 (5:52 pm)

    It might have something to do with that being the time of year new birdies hatch. A mother protecting her baby birds. Also, the crow is known historically and culturally as the symbol of Pacific Northwest Native Americans.

  • Trina May 30, 2016 (6:20 am)

    I was returning a movie to the library and was dive- bombed 5 times from a crow who was just over the door at the Admiral Library branch. I kept flapping my hoody hood at him, but he was undeterred!

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