A recent owl attack in Victoria serves as a reminder to steer clear of territorial birds.

On Dec. 30, a Victoria resident was walking through Redfern Park around 9:30 p.m. when an owl swooped out of the darkness and latched onto her hair. 

"I thought maybe a raccoon had just jumped onto me,鈥� said Susie Henderson, who was on her way home from the Oak Bay Recreation Centre with her husband.

The attack was over in a flash.

"If my husband hadn鈥檛 been there, I wouldn't even know what it was because it disappeared before I even realized," she said.

Henderson quickly threw up her hood and rushed out of the park, where her husband examined her head for cuts. The owl hadn鈥檛 broken her skin. Still, she had felt the bird's sharp talons.

鈥淚magine Freddy Krueger attacking you from behind,鈥� she said. 

The next morning, Henderson posted on the Oak Bay Local Facebook page to warn others about the whereabouts of the owl. In her description of the attack, Henderson noted that the owl was large and speckled. 

Based on this description, a representative of the Surrey-based Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program said the bird is most likely a barred owl 鈥� one of the many raptor species found on Vancouver Island. 

鈥淭his is typical barred owl behaviour,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey'll swoop any time of year, but as we are getting close to the breeding season, they'll be more aggressive than usual.鈥� 

Ann Nightingale, a Rocky Point Bird Observatory volunteer, added that territorial behaviour stems from the bird鈥檚 instinct to protect its young. Other times, however, owls attack people in the hopes of snagging a quick meal.

鈥淪ometimes ... they mistake the movement of a ponytail or pompom as a prey item,鈥� said Nightingale. 鈥淭hey primarily hunt by sound, so the swishing of hair on a jacket can sound like a small animal moving.鈥� 

Nightingale recommends avoiding areas where attacks have recently occurred. 

鈥淭he owls that do this tend to be repeat offenders,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce you know where they are, just give them a bit of space. They are usually defending a specific territory. If you need to walk that path, an open umbrella should keep the bird away or at least provide a barrier.鈥�

People with small cats and dogs are also advised to be careful, as owls can see them as prey.