WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: ‘Swooping owl encounter’

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Elena sent this report:

Second week in a row of a swooping, talons out, owl encounter along Alki/Beach Drive while on a run. The first was last week, about a mile north of Lincoln Park along Beach Drive. I was running and suddenly felt talons on my head and after some arm flailing, the owl perched herself/himself on the telephone wire adjacent to me, and then tried to go after me again when I tried to resume running. Had to walk backward 1/4 mile before we lost sight of each other. The second was (Tuesday) morning, near the trees just west of Marination (near the larger parking lot). Similar circumstance, but this guy was more persistent. This time, the swooping did not stop even while I stopped my run and stood still, and had to walk backwar with my arms out about 100 yards before it stopped. I imagine it must be some seasonal nesting behavior/etc. But runners and walkers (and small critters!) look out, I suppose.

As we’ve noted following similar reports in the past, the state has a page explaining this owl behavior. Last year, meantime, a reader told us about the creative deterrent she wears!

Justin December 13, 2023 (5:36 pm)

Sorry to hear about the swooping as it’s terrifying. FYI the “creative deterrent” link goes to the other state link.

WSB December 13, 2023 (5:49 pm)

Fixed, thanks.

Fiddlesticks December 13, 2023 (5:42 pm)

Dang night birds!

rose December 13, 2023 (5:42 pm)

Oh Elena, that happened to me on Harbor Ave near the railyard. It is traumatizing! If the owl broke your skin you should get a tetanus shot. And even though it is traumatizing, it is a great story! Be safe!

Ann December 13, 2023 (6:17 pm)

Ooof!! Curious if Elena has a ponytail? I’ve heard they can mimic a squirrel’s tail on runners.

Sandy December 13, 2023 (6:30 pm)

Hi Elena, Thanks for the Report. What time of day did this occur?

WSCurmudgeon December 13, 2023 (6:32 pm)

The creative headgear mentioned in the link appears to deter divebombing crows as well as owls. Local apparel entrepreneurs take note.

datamuse December 13, 2023 (7:07 pm)

Seriously, if someone made hats that looked like that I bet they’d have takers.
Mellow Kitty December 14, 2023 (7:34 am)

Indeed! I need this hat in my life! 😁😁

sarah December 13, 2023 (6:50 pm)

I’m the runner with the solution in the linked article! I can say that the mask still works! I run between 5:30-7AM for reference.

D December 14, 2023 (8:45 am)

i have lived in WS my whole life and have only seen one owl ever. Besides being attacked that is pretty awesome you have seen them 2x so quickly.

Gatewood Gal December 14, 2023 (10:34 am)

I live on GW Hill. 3 weeks ago something fluttered past my kitchen window. It was a Barred Owl sitting in trunk hollow of my cherry tree. I watched it for about 5 mins, moving from cherry to the fence to my neighbor’s giant cedar. Finally, I think it went after a squirrel up in the cedar. Had a great observation point and have never seen an owl so close up….We look over the Orchard St. & often get Red Hawks flying over – drives the crows crazy!

Scarlett December 14, 2023 (11:06 am)

Likely a Barred Owl, the Spotted Owl’s aggressive doppel-ganger. As some of us have argued for years, they are likely the primary culprit in the demise of the Spotted Owl. Not my favorite owl, but like the coyote, they are firmly ensconced in the Puget Sound eco-system now.

dhg December 14, 2023 (12:13 pm)

BONUS FYI: The creative headgear, a mask with eyes, works not just for owls but also tigers. https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1038980

Mel December 14, 2023 (12:43 pm)

Thanks for these links and all this information. So interesting about how the ponytail is read as a squirrel! I was wondering if there was a hat that had rabbit fur or rabbit-like qualities with the runners hair bundled underneath. Was also wondering if because of all the development they owls are more sensitive. Beach drive and Alki are along one of just two pieces of original forest (Schmitz park) in Seattle, so that might be why there are so many owls, but their hunting areas may be shrinking with all the development. Also just want to echo that crows only swoop if you touch or go near their young. They remember your face forever. They don’t go out of their way to ‘attack’ unless they think you’ve been threatening (even if you didn’t mean to or even know you were close to a fledgling or best). It seems owls are doing something else. Thanks WSB.

Joe Z December 14, 2023 (1:21 pm)

Owl attacks on runners are fairly common in this region although it usually happens to trail runners in the woods. I’ve been swooped at in Puget Park in the past. Owl attacks in the Issaquah area happen all the time.

Scarlett December 14, 2023 (2:07 pm)

Barred Owls are not a native species. They tend to be naturally aggressive – as many can attest to. They are an Eastern U.S. owl that expanded their habitat across Canada over the past decades, and then down from B.C. to Washington State and on to Oregon and California. They compete for habitat with the Spotted Owl and there was a recent Seattle Times article about a plan to reduce their numbers though hunting. In my opinion the Barred Owl is the primary culprit for the declining numbers of Spotted Owl, but hunting them is an ill-advised plan. Like the coyote, they are now part of the Puget Sound ecosystem.

Lucy December 14, 2023 (3:12 pm)

Well, there was this theory a while ago written by a scientist named Charles Darwin. It was something about “survival of the fittest.” It’s nature. And it is brutal.
- Scarlett December 15, 2023 (9:05 am)
  
  Actually, it was Herbert Spencer who coined the phrase, “survival of the fittest.” Some debate about who deserved to get credit for the theory, btw. But yes, nature is brutal and there are life and death struggles all around us. “Nature may be your mother, but she doesn’t necessarily love you.”

Josh December 14, 2023 (3:05 pm)

From the states website linked in the article above, hopefully OP considers doing so:If you encounter repeated encounters with aggressive owls, you can call 877-933-9847, or submit an online report: https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/enforcement/report