timistravels

April 17, 2014

the one on top was hurting the weaker one

While on walk in the neighborhood, my neighbor and I had a National Geographic moment. While walking towards Lena Cove, we had seen 2 eagles flying and chasing each other.  They looked like they were either fighting or flirting (bird style).  

they eventually laid like this for about 20 minutes while we waited for the professional to arrive

We got to the recreation area and suddenly we heard a crashing sound, I actually thought it was a bear falling out of a tree.  However,  once we focused we saw 2 eagles fall from top of tree to the ground intertwined.  That was about 30-35#’s falling straight down.  It was exceptionally loud and again sounded like a much bigger object.   

We realized that the eagles were attached so at first I thought they were mating until the one on top started pecking at the neck of the other one,  and we realized they were fighting. Because of the pecking, there was blood everywhere and we actually thought the one on the bottom had died.  It was not moving, but the one on top was barely moving.  

We called the “raptor center” http://www.juneauraptorcenter.org to see if they could come and help.  They told us, “oh this is not that uncommon this time of year, if you approach them they will be more scared of you and forget they are mad at each other.”  We walked over to them but there was no movement and they were not letting go of one another.  We still worried about the one on the bottom.  Apparently this time of year it’s all about fighting over females and territory.

look at the talon grip on the head. That is the more injured one trying to keep the more dominate one awas

Ultimately a member of the Raptor Center arrived and walked right up and tried to pull them apart.  They were not happy and did not let go of each other easily. They had their talons dug into each other.  Finally he tore the two of them apart enough that the top one flew off, followed by the injured one on the bottom, however we could see he had a broken leg and worried he won’t be able to get food.

he was pulling them apart

neither one was willing to let go

UPDATE 8 days later a neighbor had a dead eagle in her yard, and it had a broken leg, it looks as though he didn’t make it