People Keep Getting Attacked by Barred Owls. The Feds Want to Kill Nearly Half a Million of Them.
Barred owls are known for their territorial aggression, sometimes attacking humans without clear provocation. Due to their impact on endangered owl species and their bold behavior, a federal management plan aims to cull up to 450,000 barred owls across the western United States, starting in 2024.
Incidents and Reports of Attacks
Barred owls have a history of attacking people, especially hikers and runners in the Pacific Northwest. In Portland, multiple runners have reported injuries, such as puncture wounds and stolen hats. Local advisories even recommend wearing hard hats in areas prone to owl attacks.
After a Washington woman was repeatedly ambushed by a barred owl near her home in 2022, biologists noted that such encounters are becoming more frequent.
Impact on Other Owl Species
Besides aggressive behavior toward humans, barred owls outcompete other endangered owl species, contributing to their decline. This ecological imbalance partly motivates the proposed culling strategy.
Cultural Reference
“As most true crime fans will recall, the ‘owl theory’ was one hypothesis put forward to explain the death of Michael Peterson’s wife in the Netflix documentary The Staircase.”
Photo Caption
A barred owl fledgling soars through the trees at Muir Woods in California. (Photo: Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Author’s summary: Barred owls’ aggressive behavior and ecological impact have led to a controversial federal plan to cull hundreds of thousands to protect other species and reduce human attacks.