Golden eagles (1 Viewer)

JTweedie

Well-known member

• Nov 29, 2013

• #1

There was a programme on TV last night where a guy was travelling with some Sami people as they followed the reindeer. They had a couple of dogs that ran alongside them, but they fell behind. After stopping to wait for the dogs, they could see one of the dogs off in the distance heading in the wrong direction. Then they spotted a golden eagle overhead.

The narrator gave the impression that the eagle would take the dog - do you think this is realistic?

 

JustinG

Justin

• Nov 29, 2013

• #2

Depending on the size of the dog, however it would still be relatively unrealistic. However, the GE can take prey up to the size of pheasants, hares, and even young deer, but these tend to be sick/injured. The GE is an opportunist hunter.

 

JTweedie

Well-known member

• Nov 29, 2013

• #3

I did think it was a bit of hyperbole in the programme. One of the guys headed out toward his dog, but I think he was just going to the dog rather than "protecting" it from the eagle. I know golden eagles can be opportunistic, just in this case it looked a bit far-fetched.

 

B

Boro Birder

Well-known member

• Nov 29, 2013

• #4

They also have been know to take fox/ fox cubs so it is possible, however they tend to only take these when there normal prey is low, they also have been recorded taking every single diurnal BoP.

 

J

Jimmybirder

Well-known member

• Nov 30, 2013

• #5

JTweedie said:

There was a programme on TV last night where a guy was travelling with some Sami people as they followed the reindeer. They had a couple of dogs that ran alongside them, but they fell behind. After stopping to wait for the dogs, they could see one of the dogs off in the distance heading in the wrong direction. Then they spotted a golden eagle overhead.

The narrator gave the impression that the eagle would take the dog - do you think this is realistic?

Click to expand...

I assume the dogs were huskies, not Yorkshire terriers?? If its the former then the narrator was talking through his proverbial

 

JTweedie

Well-known member

• Nov 30, 2013

• #6

Looked to be more of a mongrel, about the size of a labrador. They use them for rounding up the reindeer.