JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s not every day someone hears about an owl attack in Jacksonville, but one Avondale jogger said it happened to her twice in just 48 hours.
Mary Kay Mandeville told News4JAX it all started on Sunday evening, when she was jogging along Challenge Avenue and noticed an owl flying from tree to tree.
“I paid no attention. I kept jogging. I jogged about five blocks further, turned around to come back past that same site where I had seen him flying, and I was hit from behind by him, and I felt his talons in my hair, which pulled a little bit,” Mandeville said.
Mandeville said she was shocked.
“Very surprised, and I was a little bit scared,” Mandeville said.
Two nights later, she was attacked again.
This time, she said she was attacked at the intersection of Remington Street and Talbot Avenue.
“I was approximately two blocks from the Airbnb and approximately four to five blocks from the previous attack when I was hit by an owl again on the right side of my head, by my right ear,” Mandeville said.
Randy Fontini, who lives in Avondale, said he spotted an owl on Father’s Day.
“It didn’t make a sound. We were out here and looked up and said, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s an owl right there,’” Fontini recalled. “It was right where that power line is. There was a branch right over there, and then it flew over straight there into the tree to pick that big tree right there, and then started getting attacked by the blue jays.”
But Fontini said he has never seen or heard of an owl attack in this neighborhood.
“I haven’t heard that at all. That’s crazy to hear that,” Fontini said.
Mandeville said she called Florida Fish and Wildlife, and a biologist told her owl attacks are extremely rare.
For now, Mandeville said she’ll be keeping an eye on the sky on her next jog.
FWC is now investigating to see if the same owl is behind both swoops, or if there could be more unreported cases nearby.
FWC shared a statement with News4JAX:
“An individual contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reporting two incidents of an owl making contact with her on two separate days several blocks apart in the Jacksonville area. FWC dispatch referred her to a regional wildlife biologist who spoke with her but could not confirm details, including if the owl had a nest because she was only visiting the area and was no longer present.
Since we cannot confirm there was a nest, we cannot say what spurred the activity but the following information is helpful if anyone does encounter an owl or other birds of prey behaving aggressively:
Birds of prey, also called raptors, include hawks, eagles, falcons and owls. Birds of prey will defend their active nests (with chicks or eggs) from any perceived threats, which sometimes may include people or pets, repeatedly diving at you if they think you’re too close. Some tips to follow when dealing with aggression from protective nesting birds of prey:
- Avoid areas near the nest, if possible. If you must go through the area, carry an open umbrella or wear a hard hat.
- Temporarily erect a shade structure to obstruct the birds’ view of people and pets.
- Planting shrubbery can also provide cover for pets and birds visiting feeders.
- Sometimes you may be able to use an air horn to deter birds that start to dive.
- During the non-breeding season, trim branches to eliminate perches and help resolve recurring issues.
- Eliminate attractants that may attract prey such as rodents into your yard. Items like unsecured garbage, fallen bird seed and pet food are common household attractants that may entice prey species that raptors eat onto your property.
Additional information on dealing with protective, nesting birds of prey can be found at: https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/protected-wildlife-permits/raptors/ and https://myfwc.com/media/21806/living-with-raptors.pdf. We also have a video online that gives further guidance: https://vimeo.com/510827411.
Residents needing more guidance or that have further questions can contact an FWC wildlife assistance biologist in their region: https://myfwc.com/contact/fwc-office/regional-offices/."