美国国家公共电台 NPR--An owl twice attacked a Washington woman. A biologist says it's becoming more common

An owl¹ twice attacked a Washington woman. A biologist says it's becoming more common

Transcript²

Kirsten Mathisen was walking alone in the woods by her Hansville, Wash., home when she was attacked.

There was no warning. Her attacker was fast and silent, but left its mark.

"It felt like getting punched in the back of the head by someone wearing rings," Mathisen told NPR.

Luckily, she was able to get photos and video of her attacker: a white barred owl.

The attack was unprompted, Mathisen said. She was just walking, as she always does. In fact, she had seen this owl before and there was never any problem.

When she got home, her boyfriend helped disinfect her scalp — now bloodied³ and cut — and she told him the unbelievable story. Later on, at the urging of her friends, she went to the doctor, who recommended she get a tetanus shot to avoid any further issues from the owl's bacteria-carrying claws.

Mathisen wasn't going to be kept captive in her house, so she did her best to avoid the owl's territory.

"I just was like, 'OK, I just won't walk that way for a few days.' But then, exactly a week later, on the next Saturday, I was on my driveway much closer to the house. And same thing."

Yup, the owl struck again. This time it left behind five or six deeper cuts and Mathisen far bloodier⁴.

She thought, "What is going on?"

She turned to Reddit for answers when local wildlife authorities were slow to respond. Some people said she was cursed. Others joked she was missing her Hogwarts acceptance letter.

Even more people shared with her a popular theory about the death of Kathleen Peterson, whose husband was convicted of killing⁵ her. The documentary The Staircase covered the case. Those who don't believe Michael Peterson killed his wife suggest that she was mortally wounded in an aggressive owl attack.

Mathisen also found several other stories about people in the Washington state area who had been attacked by other aggressive barred owls⁶. A runner in West Seattle posted her very similar story on Reddit. She found a unique way to continue her runs without being attacked: She dons an owl mask on the back of her head. The city of SeaTac even put up a warning sign in a local park to warn visitors of its owl problem.

Barred owls are "aggressive owls and they're highly territorial⁷," Jonathan C. Slaght, a wildlife biologist with Wildlife Conservation Society, said. He examined a photo that Mathisen took and confirmed the animal to be a barred owl.

They traditionally nest in the cavities of trees. Unfortunately, these owl-human confrontations⁸ are more common now because of the shrinking availability of dense⁹ forests that allow the owls to be more secluded¹⁰, he said.

"The more you reduce the places where an owl can nest, the more likely it's going to be nesting somewhere in close proximity¹¹ to humans," Slaght said. "If they're kind of amped up and a fox walks by, a deer walks by, a human walks by, whatever, they'll pop down and try to chase it off."

Mathisen has altered her walking path altogether to avoid where the owl lives. She has also taken to wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella to protect against further whacks¹² on the head, but she's hoping she won't have to do this forever.

"I don't want the owl to be put down or something. It's very beautiful. It's just a pretty bitch," she said.

Slaght had bad news for her: "I think she's doomed," he said.

The actions of the owl suggest it's nesting or pre-breeding, he said.

The good news is that this is seasonal¹³, so the owl may eventually move on or quit being so territorial.

"It's not like forever. This will sort of work its way out," he said.

In the meantime, he suggested Mathisen wear a hat, continue using the umbrella or just admit defeat and find somewhere else to walk.

1 owl   

n.猫头鹰，枭

参考例句：

• Her new glasses make her look like an owl.她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
• I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight.我睡得很晚，经常半夜后才睡觉。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 bloodied   

v.血污的( bloody的过去式和过去分词 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• His pants leg was torn and bloodied when he fell. 他跌交时裤腿破了，还染上了血。 来自辞典例句

4 bloodier   

adj.血污的( bloody的比较级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 owls   

n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 'Clumsy fellows,'said I; 'they must still be drunk as owls.' “这些笨蛋，”我说，“他们大概还醉得像死猪一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The great majority of barn owls are reared in captivity. 大多数仓鸮都是笼养的。 来自辞典例句

7 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

8 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

9 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

10 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

12 whacks   

n.重击声( whack的名词复数 )；不正常；有毛病v.重击，使劲打( whack的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Lizzie Borden took an axe, Hit her father forty whacks. 丽兹玻顿拿起斧头，砍了爸爸四十下。 来自互联网
• Grizzly bear paw whacks camera out of position and jettisons it downstream. 大灰熊的爪子把摄像机移出了固定的位置并且把它扔到了下游。 来自互联网

13 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。