Isbella Diaz
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Montgomery Parks is warning people about a territorial owl grabbing people from behind on a trail near River Road.
Recent visitors to Capital Crescent Trail have been prey to a number of attacks by a juvenile, barred owl.
Park staff received multiple reports of what at first was being identified as a large bird grabbing people from behind. It soon became clear that that bird was actually a young owl.
Bill Hamilton, the principal natural resources specialist for Montgomery Parks, said it’s most likely a young owl trying to establish a breeding territory along the trail.
When trying to set up a new territory, these owls are going to be more aggressive to establish dominance in that territory, said Hamilton.
The owl is attracted to anything shiny, as well as ponytails. He will attempt to swoop at these types of items and grab them from behind.
“It’s just important that trail users realize that they’re not going to be encountered by another person,” said Hamilton. “That’s what we’ve heard more often than not: because these attacks are occurring from behind, people feel like they’re being attacked by another human from behind.”
Hamilton suggested that visitors to the trail take a few steps to avoid being grabbed by the owl. If you have a ponytail, for instance, hide it, as the owl may mistake it – and you – as prey.
If approached by the owl, be vocal by singing or talking to your walking partner, so it recognizes that you’re not food.
The recent attacks along Capital Crescent Trail are not a new occurence in Montgomery County, as owls have displayed behavior like this before. However, this owl appears to be especially aggressive.
So far, no injuries have been reported as a result of the owl’s attacks.
Copyright 2015 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Montgomery Parks)
