Owls are known for being one of the most elusive and stealthiest birds in all of nature, and those tendencies were on full display in this wild scene.
According to Boston 25 News, Kenneth Wadness was walking his dog Micah at the Noon Hill Reservation in Medfield, Massachusetts, when the two were attacked by an unsuspecting owl. Wadness said he noticed a dark figure to his right while holding his headlamp, and sure enough, it was an owl.
He told the outlet:
“This owl came and swooped right next to Micah and right by my elbow. He took off and I couldn’t see him. Within 10 seconds, he whacked me with his talons. He hit me on the back of the head.”
Wadness picked up Micah and took off half a mile back to his car, holding a branch for protection. Andrew Vitz, an ornithologist for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said that although owl attacks are rare, they do happen:
“It’s that territorial behavior that’s kicking in.”
Vitz said that with nesting season right around the corner, owls become more aggressive this time of year and can be very dangerous to small pets such as dogs. He continued:
“Keep them indoors at night. Usually, the presence of a person is enough of a deterrent.”
Wadness suffered minor injuries from the attack, and went right back to walking Micah every night following the incident. He also worries that if the owl had gotten to Micah, it could’ve killed him:
“If (the owl) got his claws in Micah… I think he would have the force to kill.”
