READER REPORT: Young runner scratched by owl in Lincoln Park

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

Earlier this fall, Seattle Parks noted an owl attack in Lincoln Park. We’ve had reader reports of several around the peninsula, Lincoln Park included, over the years. But we hadn’t heard from anyone directly this year until Kevin‘s report arrived a short time ago:

Our 8 year old daughter was scratched on her head by an owl in Lincoln Park during her cross country run practice. Her grandpa exclaimed “what a hoot!” She’s just fine, though, just a little scary. It seems like it’s happened before, and the internet suggests they’re territorial at dusk. We’re going to follow up with her primary care doctor tomorrow to see if there’s anything weird about owls and diseases.

You can learn more about this owl behavior by checking out this Department of Fish and Wildlife fact sheet, choosing “Preventing Conflicts,” and scrolling down to “Dive-Bombing Owls.” As noted there, these incidents are rare.

1994 October 22, 2025 (10:44 pm)

After my head being scratched in a couple places by an owl I did a little digging on any after effects. Owls typically don’t transmit rabies – that was my big worry. I got swooped in Arbor Heights at dusk and was pretty freaked out about what had happened to me. I heard nothing, saw nothing, but my head got grabbed and I felt some pain. There was a little blood. I am pretty sure it was an owl because they can fly without making a sound.

C October 23, 2025 (6:39 am)

Barred owl swooped me and my dog a few weeks ago in the middle of Lincoln. I should have known it was there- the stellar jays were harassing it and were super loud. I’m guessing it thought my hair bun was a mouse :)

Kevin October 23, 2025 (7:02 am)

Got a picture of the perp!

Torso_McTeague October 23, 2025 (9:51 am)

What a cool photo! Reminds me of The Great Owl in The Secret of NIMH film. <3
Katherine Lacoste October 25, 2025 (10:53 pm)

Fabulous photo!

HPE fam October 23, 2025 (7:20 am)

Several runners were swooped and attempted scratching last night at XC practice. My child reported 2 in their group were also swooped.

Ferns October 23, 2025 (7:31 pm)

I hope the coach changes their route or they stop practicing at that time of day. The owl clearly doesn’t want them there and dusk (arriving earlier each day) isn’t a great time to be trail running. Parks usually close at sunset. Would hate to see the kids put in harms way again.
- JAM October 23, 2025 (9:30 pm)
  
  It will only be dusk for their practice time (really the only time they can practice between school and societally normal family time) for 2 more weeks until we change our clocks. So strange that owls don’t follow our clocks. Also these owls are not a native owl species and pretty territorially. I do not advocate killing off an animal because they are non-native, but if they are invasive and becoming so dominant and aggressive that they attacking people…

Lola October 23, 2025 (7:26 am)

Did anybody ever see the Trial of Kathleen Peterson? Her husband was accused of killing her, but his defense was that it was an Owl that got her and when she went into the house she was disoriented and fell down the back staircase. She did have Owl Feathers in her hair and was clutching some feathers when they did the autopsy. Neighbors had testified to Owls swooping down in their neighborhood. Be carful out there.

kap October 23, 2025 (7:34 am)

Oh my gosh – I got thumped and scratched on my head by something on Tues at dusk-dark time while on Thistle stairs. I didn’t see or hear anything before or after and thought it was maybe a squirrel or bird, but this makes total sense, especially being across the street from park. It was so crazy!

Neighbor October 23, 2025 (7:47 am)

Got swooped myself in Lincoln Park running the trails just before dusk a couple weeks ago! No harm to me, just a reminder we are guests in these majestic animals’ homes. Heard it happened a few times to the older kids at xcountry last night too.

WS October 23, 2025 (9:30 am)

A pic from last night of the culprit…

Joe Z October 23, 2025 (10:06 am)

I was also attacked by an owl while running at Lincoln Park in mid-August around dusk. I received lacerations to my skull. I held a stick above my head and walked away slowly while it continued to stalk me. Personally I would not be opposed to removing these invasive and hazardous barred owls from the park.

Amy October 23, 2025 (1:24 pm)

Sounds scary for you. Maybe you should stay out of the park.
- JAM October 23, 2025 (9:46 pm)
  
  These are, as that person said, an invasive and aggressive predator. When I lived in the Caribbean, they finally accepted that the lion fish was beautiful but aggressively invasive and killing all the reef fish. They have a tournament to kill as many lion fish as possible. They are beautiful, but so destructive to the amazing local species because they are so much more aggressive.

CC October 23, 2025 (10:39 am)

made me think of this solution a reader wrote in with from a few years ago. https://westseattleblog.com/2022/09/reader-report-one-solution-for-deterring-swooping-owls/#:~:text=I%20started%20wearing%20an%20owl,t%20been%20swooped%20at%20once!

Daytime runner October 23, 2025 (10:54 am)

In one of the past threads on this topic, someone posted a photo of the hat they made with a large, sort of cutout eye on top. From owl’s point of view the giant eye would be looking at them. The person posting sounded like it was effective, maybe someone else remembers this?

The Owl October 23, 2025 (12:58 pm)

It’s me. The owl. Hoot hoot. I’m coming to get you. You won’t even hear me coming. I’ll get a claw-full of your hair and scalp and use it for a nest while I laugh and laugh at how you screamed. Watch out monkeys. Hoot.

Baller October 23, 2025 (10:47 pm)

If only we had some kind of paddle-based sport in this park that supposedly scared away these vicious predators who are preying on our children…

alkiannie October 23, 2025 (11:33 pm)

Yes, it could also scare away any peace of mind we and others seek to achieve at this park at the same time.

People who seek to cull or scare away these gorgeous birds out of Lincoln Park are truly sad humans. Owls are magnificent. They belong in Lincoln Park.

SelkirkRunner October 25, 2025 (9:07 am)

A location update/swooping report: Sat 10/25 at 6:45 am, 48th Ave SW:

An owl swooped multiple times on 48th between Graham and Holly, while running. Took my hat and grabbed at my head but no scratches. Pretty sure it was a Barred Owl. I’m 5’10” and a man, so going after adults, too. I retreated back home, put a headlamp on the back of my head and that seemed to deter–it swooped another 3-4 times but didn’t contact.

I’ll keep using my headlamp, but if that stops working, I’m going to get one of those owl masks to put on top of my hat.

Neighbor October 27, 2025 (10:00 pm)

Heard from my son more swooping of runners witnessed tonight at Lincoln Park! I laugh whenever I see anything that says these swooping are “rare” – they’re not based on how often I hear from people I know that experience them, just no real owl-swooping surveillance systems in place to suggest otherwise, you know?

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