Posted on 05/24/2011 12:52:56 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Her name is May, and she may well be the feel-good story of the month. May is an 18lb (8kg) toy poodle found in the grounds of a nursing home in Sechelt, British Columbia (BC).
While no one saw her arrive, deep talon marks in her back and sides strongly suggest she was the unwilling passenger of a hungry eagle for some time until being dropped from the sky, the Vancouver Sun reported Monday.
Found by staff at the nursing home, about 43 miles (70km) northwest of Vancouver, she was taken to the nearby Sunshine Coast SPCA, who are crediting the bird of prey with saving May's life.
Ping
Wait, what? The eagle grabs the dog, later drops it from the sky, but is credited with saving the dog’s life?
This sounds like eagle sh!t. I have seen large bald eagles struggle to fly with a 3-4 lb. pink salmon. An 18 lb. poodle? I doubt it.
Chupacabra.
Diet
The Bald Eagle's diet is opportunistic and varied, but most feed mainly on fish. In the Pacific Northwest, spawning trout and salmon provide most of the Bald Eagles' diet.[26]
Locally, eagles may rely largely on carrion, especially in winter, and they will scavenge carcasses up to the size of whales, though it seems that carcasses of ungulates and large fish are preferred. They also may sometimes feed on subsistence scavenged or stolen from campsites and picnics, as well as garbage dumps. Mammalian prey includes rabbits, hares, raccoons, muskrats, beavers, and deer fawns. Preferred avian prey includes grebes, alcids, ducks, gulls, coots, egrets, and geese. Most live prey are quite a bit smaller than the eagle, but predatory attacks on larger birds such as swans have been recorded. Reptiles, amphibians and crustaceans (especially crabs) are preyed on when available.
With a freshly caught fish.
To hunt fish, easily their most important live prey, the eagle swoops down over the water and snatches the fish out of the water with its talons. They eat by holding the fish in one claw and tearing the flesh with the other. Eagles have structures on their toes called spiricules that allow them to grasp fish. Osprey also have this adaptation.[24] Bald Eagles have powerful talons and have been recorded flying with a 15-pound Mule Deer fawn.[27] It has been estimated that the gripping power (pounds by square inch) of the bald eagle is ten times greater than that of a human.[28] Sometimes, if the fish is too heavy to lift, the eagle will be dragged into the water. It may swim to safety, but some eagles drown or succumb to hypothermia. When competing for food, eagles will usually dominate other fish-eaters and scavengers, aggressively displacing mammals such as coyotes and foxes, and birds such as corvids, gulls, vultures and other raptors. Bald Eagles may be displaced by themselves or by Golden Eagles. Neither species is known to be dominant, and the outcome depends on the individual animal. Occasionally, Bald Eagles will steal fish and other prey away from smaller raptors, such as Ospreys, a practice known as kleptoparasitism.[29] Healthy adult Bald Eagles are not preyed on in the wild and are thus considered apex predators.[30] In one case, an adult eagle investigating a Peregrine Falcon nest for prey items sustained a concussion from a swooping parent Peregrine, and ultimately died days later from it.[31]
While I don’t doubt the talon wounds, I don’t think that there is a bald or golden eagle out there that can lift and 18 lb poodle.
A few years back in Victoria (BC), there was a rash of disappearing cats from the upper floors of an apartment building near Beacon Hill Park.
Later that fall, a giant windstorm hit and brought down some of the bigger trees in the park - and in one of the fallen giants, searchers found a bald eagle’s nest filled with cat skeletons.
True story.
“This sounds like eagle sh!t.”
Indeed!
Don’t know what kind of eagle this is, but it is a bad ass.
I’m sure an 18 pound dog would be no problem for this guy!
http://mothwing.com/mothballs/test-post
Yeah I didn’t get hat one either.
That’s one lucky pup. She somehow got a huge raptor to drop her, and from a low-enough altitude that she wasn’t further injured. Then the SPCA took over and helped with her medical needs (talon wounds, broken ribs, and general neglect) and solicited donors to pay for that. When she’s better, the pup, “May,” will be adopted. And she deserves a happy family.
Guess Michael Vick really has turned over a new leaf.
“I don’t think that there is a bald or golden eagle out there that can lift an 18 lb poodle.”
There are many eagles that could do. And amazingly most eagles weigh less than 18 lbs.
In the early 90’s, while on vacation with the family..we were on an Alaskan cruise...I begged off yet another visit to an Indian museusm, went for a run, and stumbled across the Alaskan Raptor Rehabolitation Center, outside of Sitka. One of the best afternoons I’ve ever spent. Got to hold an injued eagle while they resplinted his wing, and also wore one of the heavy gloves as the eagle perched on my arm. The birds, thogh big, are amazingly light..and the strength in their talons is unreal. Very powerful. Also, they absolutely stink to high heaven. It’s awfulMost of their diet is carrion, so they don’t need a sense of smell..thank Gawd for them.. I still sponsor a bird each year..when it’s released they send me a clip....
My wife is a master falconer. She loves eagles, but sticks with big female Red Tail hawks. Even her Red Tail has taken a “ride” on her Jack Russell terrier. Fortunately no damage. An eagle walking up your arm can sink talons deeply enough to cut a major blood vessel. A full arm glove with protection for neck and shoulder is recommended. The poodle was lucky.
My wife is a master falconer. She loves eagles, but sticks with big female Red Tail hawks. Even her Red Tail has taken a “ride” on her Jack Russell terrier. Fortunately no damage. An eagle walking up your arm can sink talons deeply enough to cut a major blood vessel. A full arm glove with protection for neck and shoulder is recommended. The poodle was lucky.
WOW,just wow.
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