Posted on 07/08/2009 8:52:47 PM PDT by Chet 99
Thursday, July 02, 2009 By LORI STABILE lstabile@repub.com
BELCHERTOWN - Ellen M. Majka was inside her home on Prescott Hill when she saw a bald eagle swoop down into her neighbor's yard.
It was the first time she saw a bald eagle in the neighborhood.
But even more surprising was what she saw in its talons when it flew back up - a black cat.
"I've never seen anything like that in my life. I was shocked. I said, 'Oh my God,'" Majka said.
The incident happened early, just after 6 am. on June 23.
According to eagle experts, a bald eagle capturing a cat is not impossible, but highly unusual.
"I believe it is within the realm of possibility and has been documented elsewhere. Bald eagles are capable of taking domestic cats," William J. Davis, district manager for Worcester County for the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, said Wednesday.
While the main diet of bald eagles is fish, Davis said they are opportunistic and will eat squirrels, turtles, even Canada geese. They are also known to feast on animal carcasses, including deer.
Interestingly, when eaglets were brought to the Quabbin Reservoir in the 1980s from Nova Scotia, wildlife biologists there believed that the adult bald eagles were preying on feral and barn cats that lived near a lake, Davis said.
Ralph E. Taylor, district manager for the Connecticut Valley wildlife district for the state agency, agreed that a bald eagle taking a cat would be unusual.
(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...
I’m sure the neighbors would love it too. LOL
Times in the Obummer economy are even hard in the Eagle’s lair ... when Eagle mom has to go shoppin for cats.
I have seen them with a fish or a snake, but a cat is a heavy animal for an eagle to get off the ground.
Great picture...where did you find it?
Especially my cat, Beaux. He’s 10 pounds and only 9 months old!! What a porker!!
Our cats go outside, and we have eagles living in a tall tree on the edge of our property. The cats seem to be aware and always stick to the cover of bushes and don't run in the open.
Sammy Davis Jr.?
The cat had little chance - I have seen a bald eagle dive, kill and take off with a large goldeneye duck. Also witnessed one knock a small halibut from an otter’s mouth and steal it - another time, near Chichagof Island in SE Alaska an octopus was trapped in a pool at low tide and about 25 eagles were tearing him to pieces. Turned him into an octoplegic, so to speak.
lol!
Eagle was going for the cheeseburger. Cat got in the way...
Um, how would one go about getting a eagle to..um..get rid of a cat?
Just, you know, theoretically. With illustrations would be help..um..ah..
Of course don’t miss understand me. I just want to make sure I don’t exactly do ..er ..have O’l Piss Floors have an accident.
I don't trust that people actually know what a bald eagle looks like....
most people call elk "moose" and wouldn't know the difference between a caribou and a elk....
eagles, contrary to the soft and fuzzy and noble image that the leftists and animal rights groups like to foster, are meat eaters as well as fish eaters...they'll go after carion just as aggressively as magpies or vultures.
I live in San Diego county and I see Golden Eagles from time to time. Large Owls, Hawks etc are common in the subdivision I use to live in. I was always concerned about letting my cat lounge outside on the upper deck for fear of being carted off by some flying critter.
John
I’v heard that cats kill 50% of the bird population each year....
No way. Eagles are 10-15 lbs of pure hell. Cat wouldn’t have a chance.
FWIW, since eagles are carrion eaters there were some reservations about it being the National Bird.
The choice was between a Turkey and an Eagle. Turkey was considered a more noble bird but Eagle won out.
John
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