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.
