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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Bald Eagle drowns a gull (1 Viewer)

etudiant said:
Wonder whether that is instinctive behavior, swimming predators are a common threat for water birds, but are at a real disadvantage if tackled in the water and swans have the size to make it matter.
Feel bad for the little Jack Russell, he was just doing what was natural, but it cost him his life.
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Why feel bad for the dog - it was attacking something and lost. The even bigger problem is the human letting the dog run free attacking wildlife.
 
STM said:
No bird is safe from a Baldie, in any environment especially if they are hungry!
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Pretty sure an Ostrich would be safe, not least for being 5,000 km from the nearest Bald Eagle 3:)

But I can't really see a Bald Eagle successfully taking say, a Winter Wren, in any environment (caves and dense undergrowth included!), either :king:
 
I once saw a Northern Harrier successfully drown a drake Northern Shoveler. This was at a large pond in western Nevada years ago.
 
A year or two ago I saw a female Mallard make a very spirited attempt to drown a Herring Gull which had attempted to take one of her ducklings on the open sea.
 
Great Skua drowning a Razorbill off the north coast of Handa, Scotland, probably something that's not at all unusual. I was watching from my sea kayak. It took rather a long time as the Razorbill managed to get its head above water several times. Once it was dead a third skua swooped in and stole the prize.

IMG_2263-5.jpg IMG_2264-2-2.jpg

Whilst that was going on this little crowd of auks gathered on the other side of my boat. I got the distinct impression they were keeping me between themselves and the skuas.

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snowyowl said:
I suspect that anyone going into the water to tackle a Mute Swan might find that they had bitten off more than they could handle.
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I probably would have been scratched/bitten badly but as soon as I got my strong hands combined with my 200 pounds of body weight around that Swans neck it would have been over.
 
gcole said:
I probably would have been scratched/bitten badly but as soon as I got my strong hands combined with my 200 pounds of body weight around that Swans neck it would have been over.
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Don't rely on it - a swan is more buoyant and can probably hold its breath longer than you can. All it needs do is get your head underwater - that's how they deal with dogs (which have far stronger jaws than a swan has).
 
Yes, while fishing I've seen a bald eagle chase down and catch a juvenile duck, then sit on it in the water. It was an impressive thing to watch.
 
Nutcracker said:
Don't rely on it - a swan is more buoyant and can probably hold its breath longer than you can. All it needs do is get your head underwater - that's how they deal with dogs (which have far stronger jaws than a swan has).
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Fat chance with me ringing its neck first
 
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