I think we tend to underestimate just how strong eagles are.
Of course, for the most of us, we only tend to see them locked up in a zoo exhibit, or flying overhead several feet up in the air, so we never get to truly witness what these birds are capable of.
So, thank the Lord we have videos like this that prove the strength of these birds.
This one comes from BBC’s Frozen Planet II, in the Italian Alps
In the footage, you can see a golden eagle swoop in over the edge of a cliff. You can see the bird struggling for a moment, but next thing you know it has a whole mountain goat hanging from its talons as it begins to fly away.
It appears that the “goat” is actually a “goat-antelope” called a chamois, which is native to many of the well known European mountain ranges (Alps, Carpathian, Balkan).
You can visibly see the goat still struggling as it hangs from the bird’s talons, high above the rocky cliffs.
However, the eagle can’t hold on for much longer as the mountain goat was still battling as much as it could, and that’s all part of the plan. You see, the eagle isn’t trying to hold on forever… it’s trying to hold on just long enough to get the goat out off the edge.
And then, bombs away… the eagle drops the goat several hundred feet to its death.
It’s a perfect live depiction of the brutality of nature. Although, one might argue that falling to an instant death is better than being picked apart, piece by piece, by the eagle (or another predator).
The caption to the video reads:
“The golden eagle, one of nature’s most powerful avian hunters, showcases a display of raw strength and precision.
With fierce determination, it swoops in, clutches a mountain goat, and despite the weight, ascends skywards. High above, where the air is thin and the world below seems distant, it releases its prey, letting gravity do the final deed.
Yet, the eagle isn’t alone in its airborne tactics. The osprey, a master of the sea with keen eyes and sharp talons, often plucks its aquatic prey with finesse.
But sometimes, a wriggling fish proves challenging, leading the osprey to release and drop it from high above, only to swoop down and reclaim its catch, now subdued and easier to grip.”
Nature is incredible… and golden eagles are some of the most fascinating.
So much so, that some parts of the world actually train these birds to hunt deer, boar and other wild game.
Check it out:
Fox Narrowly Escapes Death After Golden Eagle Swoops In
This is what they call in my neck of the woods, a fight to the death.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that eagles are incredibly graceful, yet also incredibly vicious at the same time. Basically majestic, flying dinosaurs.
The strength of eagles’ talons are so strong, that they can swoop in and fly off with any small mammals when they want to, and they have dinner on the table for the night.
In this video, we see a golden eagle attempt to swoop in and take hold of a fox.
Luckily enough, the fox caught a glimpse of the eagle swooping in from the sky, and had enough time to react and defend itself.
The eagle tries multiple times to grab the fox with its talons, but the fox is able to avoid them with its quick reflexes.
Sure enough, the fox escapes, and the golden eagle goes home empty handed.
Perhaps the wildest part, is that foxes aren’t even the biggest creatures that golden eagles hunt. These killers will hunt bighorn sheep, deer, bobcats, and even coyotes.
It’s pretty wild to imagine an eagle taking down a brutal predator like a bobcat, but it’s a testament to just how strong these creatures are.
Check it out:
Helluva shot:
Golden Eagle Takes Helpless Lamb For A Ride
Nature is a scary place.
An eagle-eyed bystander (see what I did there?) looked up in the sky and was surprised to see a golden eagle carrying a baby lamb through the air. The massive bird appears to have picked up “take-out” and was returning home, showing no real issues maintaining flight with the rather large prey in its claws.
Golden eagles are large, powerful birds of prey known for their majestic appearance and impressive hunting abilities. They are found in various habitats across North America, Eurasia, and parts of Africa.
With a wingspan ranging from 6 to 8 feet, and a body length of about 2.5 to 3.5 feet, they are some of the most skilled hunters on the planet. They have a sharp, hooked beak, powerful talons, and keen eyesight, which helps them spot prey from great distances.
Their diet consists of small to medium-sized mammals, such as rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and marmots. They are also known to prey on birds, reptiles, and occasionally, carrion.
Capable of reaching diving speeds of 150 miles per hour, they also have the strongest grip of any raptor, which is how they can carry fairly large mammals through the air. Sometimes golden eagles will use their powerful talons to drag large animals, like mountain-inhabiting goats, right off the side of a cliff, and then swoop down to collect their easy meal.
Eagles and hawks have long been known to steal away small animals. A viral story from 5 years ago revealed that an eagle had stolen a small dog right out of someone’s backyard, and luckily the dog was found alive over 4 miles away from where it was picked up.
This particular video has had many people guessing what the majestic eagle is holding in its talons. Some have said it is a smaller goat, while others have guessed it was a smaller dog.
We are rolling with the fact that it a small lamb, but regardless of what it is, we can confirm that the eagle will be having a pretty good dinner.
The video is captioned:
“Going for a ride tonight?”
Of all the ways to go, I feel like getting picked up by an eagle is somewhere in the middle. It isn’t the best way to go because I doubt it is very peaceful, but then again, if you were a land-based animal and at least got to get some aerial views on your way out, that might not be bad at all.
It probably is actually very bad, but I am trying to present a “glass half full” point of view.
I’m still very impressed that the eagle is flying with ease carrying the small animal. I knew that eagles were among some of the strongest birds on the planet, but I thought it would at least show a little bit of struggle.
Maybe similar to how I am when I try to carry all the groceries in with one trip (I’m a one tripper, through and through). Usually I know that I can carry all of the bags that I have picked up, but I do start to show some signs of wear and tear when I get close to the door.
Salute to the eagle though, and pour one out for the lamb that got to go for a ride. One is having a great day, and the other (obviously) not so much…
Here’s an alternate angle of what seems to be the same golden eagle:
Deer Hunting With Eagles
I see your rifle hunt, I see your bow hunt, and I raise you…
Hunting deer with an eagle.
I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never seen anything like this before.
We all know about running dogs while hunting feral hogs (or bears for the folks that do that), but never in my life have I seen an eagle, one of the world’s most pristine birds, be used for deer hunting.
A video has gone viral of a hunter releasing an eagle, as the deer sprints off in the other direction.
Sure enough, the eagle tracks down the deer, taking down its prey, and that’s ballgame.
This type of hunting is practiced in parts of Europe, particularly in Hungary, as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.
A few videos have surfaced over the years of this practice, but have been few and far between.
It’s WILD…
