While we haven’t heard of this happening in Ballard (yet), it is “fledge season” for crows and one Queen Anne resident says she was attacked by a pair of the birds. “Fledge season” generally starts in mid-May and runs through mid-June when crows teach their babies to fly. They are on edge, on high-alert and ready to attack anything they might see as a threat.
QueenAnneView reader Marina Frykholm sent this email to the editor:
I was running last night on 7th Ave W, and just north of Garfield Street I had two crows attack my head about 10X for two blocks. I was running down the street away from them and yelling and waving my arms. I assume they have a nest in someone’s yard and are protecting their young, but they were VERY aggressive and could definitely knock an elderly person or child off balance.
“They’ve invested a lot in their young and literally have helped them survive natural hazards and storms,” professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington John Marzluff, who in 2005 co-authored a book called “In the Company of Crows and Ravens,” told The Seattle Times in a story last year. Read the full story for more information on how to avoid crow attacks during fledge season, or what to do if you are attacked.