PrincessLandVR/Assets/OwlController.cs

using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;

public class OwlController : MonoBehaviour
{
    Animator anim;

    Transform player;
    public float startle_distance;

    // Start is called before the first frame update
    void Start()
    {
        anim = GetComponent<Animator>();
        var players = GameObject.FindGameObjectsWithTag("Player");
        if (players?.Length > 0)
        {
            player = players[0].transform;
        }
    }

    // Update is called once per frame
    void Update()
    {
        if (player)
        {
            float dist = Vector3.Distance(player.position, transform.position);
            var startled = dist < startle_distance;

            anim.SetBool("Startled", startled);
            if (dist < startle_distance)
            {
                Debug.LogError($"Startled at {dist}");
            }

            foreach (var childAnim in GetComponentsInChildren<Animator>())
            {
                childAnim.SetBool("Startled", startled);
            }
        }
    }
}