The Snohomish County Parks Department is warning the public about an aggressive owl at McCollum Park in Snohomish County.
According to an alert sent Friday, the bird has been dive-bombing people on the trails.
“I can’t believe it,” said Raj Foro, who walks his dog on the trails everyday. “I’ve never had an owl attack me, but that’s pretty crazy.”
Foro said he’d run if he saw the owl.
“I don’t want anything to hurt her,” he said, pointing to his dog Bella.
According to Snohomish County Parks, territorial behavior from these birds is not uncommon. Often owls do this in response to a perceived disturbance near their nesting sites.
Wildlife officials say owl attacks are generally rare and that the birds typically hoot repeatedly as a warning before attacking.
If runners, hikers, or others hear hooting, the department says they should cover their heads and try to move quickly to a safer location. If an owl does swoop, wildlife officials say to wave your arms to deter the bird and protect your head and face as much as possible.
Most people KIRO 7 crews spoke to on the trails weren’t thrilled by the news, except for Josh and Joanna Mckeown.
“We heard about the owl in the park and we are hoping the owl might find us and swoop our heads,” Josh said.
The couple made a special trip to the park in hopes of having their own up-close encounter.
“They’re certainly unique among birds,” he said. “They have beautiful features. They’re hard to find. They’re so quiet, when they fly, they’re almost silent.”
If you encounter repeated encounters with aggressive owls, you can call 877-933-9847, or submit an online report here.
You can also submit a report online here.
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