Thieving Owl Steals Hat From Surprised Runner In Early Morning Heist

Nathan Kutcha enjoys early morning runs on the Paradise Valley Conservation Area trails in Woodinville near Seattle, Washington. Recently, while out for his routine jog, a stealthy thief snatched his cap right off his head and carried it up into the treetops. The culprit: a barred owl! Nathan happened to be recording his run and captured the startling moment on camera.

Nathan had been attacked by an owl on the trail before. The previous time sent him to the hospital because he hadn’t been wearing a cap, and the owl’s talons had dug into his head.

But on this occasion, the owl seemed more determined to taunt Nathan, holding his cap high in a tree. Nathan attempted to scare the owl into dropping his hat, but another barred owl ended up helping him when it startled the thief into dropping its “prey.”

Nathan has spun his misadventures into a new YouTube channel he humorously is calling “Run From Owls.” One piece of advice he has for people walking on the trail? Wear a hat or maybe a hardhat.