That is not what we see in this video, however! In this extraordinary footage, we see a brave bald eagle swoop down from a height and grasp a grizzly’s head! The bird soon realizes that this is not a great idea, releases its grip, and flies away.
Bald Eagles and Their Prey
For a bald eagle to behave in this way, it probably interpreted the bear as a threat or as prey. Could it have not seen the bear properly? Of course, we don’t know anything about the eyesight of this particular eagle but, in general, bald eagles have fantastic eyesight. They can see four or even five times better than we humans. They can see ultraviolet light and we cannot. Also, they have a 340-degree field of view. This means that they are able to spot prey accurately and spot threats as well. So, what do bald eagles usually prey on? You will not be surprised to know that grizzly bears are not high up on their list of food. Instead, they hunt small mammals, fish, and waterfowl. They will also eat animals that other predators have caught as this gets them a meal without having to put much effort in! So, it’s unlikely that the eagle saw the grizzly as a potential snack. However, grizzlies will also eat small mammals and fish and will eat animals that have been killed by other predators so perhaps these two animals were heading for the same meal.
Nesting Bald Eagles
It is also possible that the eagle perceived the bear as a threat to its nest. Grizzlies (and all birds) are opportunistic feeders and will certainly have a taste of birds’ eggs if they come across a nest. Even though eagles prefer to nest in trees, they sometimes nest on the ground and this leaves the eggs vulnerable to attack by a bear. The nests are huge – they can be six feet in diameter! Perhaps one has been spotted by this bear and the eagle is warning it off!
Next Up:
Watch an Eagle Hunt a Snake With Incredible PrecisionWatch This Bald Eagle Hunt A Salmon With Surgical PrecisionWatch an Eagle Attack A Trespassing RC Glider In Their Territory
