Watch Out For Owl Attacks In The Portland Metro Area

If you're taking a run at night or early in the morning in Portland, be wary of owl swoopings, according to a local organization.

Per KOIN 6, the Portland Audubon Society is warning runners to be on the lookout for barred owls on the evening prowl. If your hair is in a ponytail, or you're wearing a beanie with a pompom on top, these birds may mistake it for prey.

"We’ve had a few sightings of barred owls on the Big Fir Trail at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park this summer, with two patrons noting that they had the owl fly down towards them," Holly Thompson, a spokesperson with the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District, says. "No contact was made in either case."

Barred owls can be found throughout the Portland metro area, but they're more common near rural roads and forested parks, the society says.

Bob Sallinger, the conservation director for the Portland Audubon Society, says the last reported owl-human encounter was last fall or winter.

What happens if a barred owl attacks you?

“I would make yourself big – make yourself appear to be a human being. Maybe wave your arms a little bit and move on," Sallinger suggests. He also recommends tucking your hair in or avoid wearing hats with pompoms.