Within a week during my evening walk, I've had two close encounters with a creature very like the barred owl pictured above, when the bird landed on the ground quite close to me. The owls are wonderful to look at, but after my experience a year or so ago of having one fly straight for my face, turning away only after I screamed when the bird was very near, I'd rather look from a distance.
I read that owls have poor eyesight, and they often mistake human hair for small animal prey. My white hair must appear attractive to them, so I will start to wear a cap when I walk after dark. Humans have had to receive emergency treatment for owl scratches on the head after the birds attempted unsuccessfully to carry them off. I welcome the owls in my neighborhood. I wish I could see more of my owl in the daytime, because it is a magnificent sight, but I don't want its claws in my hair, and I don't want the bird in my face, so it's cap time for me.
Photo from Wikipedia.
