Owl Fight!

Owl Fight!
Originally uploaded by wildgrizgirl.

I live in a residential neighborhood in a large city in the US. On three separate occasions in the past month a small (about 6" tall) owl has swooped down from behind me and clawed me in the head. It doesn't hurt, it's just very disquieting to be standing in your yard at night and out of the blue something with the mass a litte more than a tennis ball bounces off your head with its claws digging into your head. It only happens from behind, it only happens at night, and it only happens when I'm standing in a place that provides an unobstructed flight path. The blows are quite direct and they make my head move a litte. The claws have never drawn blood, but it is really annoying none the less. I want to sit in my yard at night and drink beer in peace and not worry about getting clawed in the head. The latest attack happend about 15 minutes ago and so I thought I'd go on line and see what other people do when they are involuntarily involved in a turf war with an owl. Haven't seen much on the net, so I am going to attempt to net it and release it 5-10 miles away. I don't care if it has a nest. I am tired of being held hostage in my own house. I respect the little guy for taking me on like that, but if the net strategy doesn't work I'm going to buy a pellet gun and shoot it.

This is the reply I got to my Fighting an Owl question.