Michigan Hunter Blames Aggressive Owl In Attack

JACKSON (WWJ/AP) - A Michigan hunter says he thinks an aggressive owl is to blame for leaving him with a bloodied eye.

Jason Longbrake told the Jackson Citizen Patriot that he was in a tree stand while hunting Sunday when a screech owl apparently attacked. The 30-year-old from Jackson said he felt something slam into his head and moments later spotted the owl nearby.

Longbrake said he kept hunting for a few hours at the tree stand in Hillsdale County, located south of Jackson. After realizing that his eye was bloodied he sought medical treatment. He hasn't lost any vision and the redness is expected to disappear.

Gary Siegrist, a naturalist at the Dahlem Environmental Education Center, said the owl may have attacked in a "territorial dispute."

Siegrist said the owls are typically about eight inches long, weigh about six ounces and have razor-sharp, half-inch-long talons. He also said the owls have some of the best eyesight and hearing in the bird kingdom.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.