When skiing, watch out for the Ornery Owl

Cross country skiers in Bangor, Maine are under attack, and the reason is rather ordinary. Well, Ornery actually. An Ornery Owl.

An Ornery Owl on the East Trail in the Rolland F. Perry City Forest in Bangor has attacked at least eight skiers, and possibly more. The owl, territorial by nature, swoops down on skiers, talons and all, and like a magpie usually attacks from behind so skiers don’t get any warning.

Bangor Daily News quotes local skier Jim Allen: “I’m coming down out near the railroad bed. It’s dark,” Allen said. “I’ve got my headlamp on, and all of a sudden, I felt a whack in the back of my head and this stinging and I understood what everybody else was talking about.”

So far skiers have suffered lacerations, but none have required stitches.