Two bald eagles entangled after a struggle in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Plymouth Police Division
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Plymouth Police Division
Two bald eagles entangled after a struggle in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Plymouth Police Division
You understand what they are saying about birds of a feather.
A pair of bald eagles was lately caught on digicam entangled, talons seemingly interlocked, on a Minnesota avenue.
The 2 birds writhed round collectively and at occasions cried out, however for minutes they had been unable to separate themselves from one another.
“I do not know what to do with them,” Plymouth police officer Mitchell Martinson may be heard saying in physique digicam video recorded on the scene. “They’re undoubtedly locked collectively, type of out of vitality.”
It is unclear how the birds got here to be related or why they struggled to free themselves.
Crystal Slusher of the American Eagle Basis mentioned territorial combating or courtship might be guilty.
“Because the bald eagle inhabitants grows, so do disputes, and it is often over prime nesting territory,” Slusher advised NPR.
She mentioned disputes amongst eagles sometimes begin with risk vocalization, circling shows or chases earlier than a bodily brawl breaks out. “As you’ll be able to see by the occasion that happened, these fights can get fairly critical and lead to damage or loss of life to at least one or each of the eagles concerned.”
Slusher additionally mentioned it was potential the birds had simply carried out an in-air courtship ritual, which entails interlocking talons and plummeting towards the bottom earlier than separating and flying away on the final second. “It might’ve went unsuitable they usually simply did not let go in time,” she mentioned.
Regardless of the case, it was a police name not like any Martinson had ever had earlier than.
“We do have de-escalation ways,” he said in an interview with CBS Minnesota, “however I’ve by no means utilized them to eagles or different animals.”
Martinson mentioned the eagles ultimately separated and flew away, apparently unhurt.
