Crow riding atop a flying bald eagle

GrindTV.com ^ | David Strege

[ChicagahAl]

What was Ed Harris doing with that horse?

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t care what anyone things about Putin, that’s pretty impressive...

...snicker.

[dainbramaged]

It looks fake. I lived in Juneau for 25 years and saw bald eagles every single day - seen them kill ducks in a power dive, steal floating ducks that I just shot, dive bomb a river otter and steal its small halibut, watched 30+ bald eagles tear apart a huge octopus that was trapped in a tide pool. The crows do mess with them to swipe their food sometimes, but they will turn over and fight.

[CrazyIvan]

I think it’s fake.

1 The crow is too upright to take the wind without tipping backwards.

2 His legs would have to be longer than normal to be at that hight above the eagle’s back.

Could be wrong. Been wrong before.

[cripplecreek]

If its a real photo I'm guessing its just a chance shot as the crow was attacking the eagle. It just looks like its riding the eagle.

Speaking of wildlife, I just took this about 45 minutes ago. I think it may be a young Great Blue Heron.

[smokingfrog]

[smokingfrog]

https://500px.com/photo/72040363/the-free-ride-by-phoo-mallardg500-chan?from=user

[Bryanw92]

Did you look at the other two photos?

[Enlightened1]

Amazing photo but OMINOUS SIGN for our Republic...

[DJ Taylor]

Quite a few times, I’ve seen crows attack eagles in order to drive them away from their nesting areas. In gangs of four or five, they’ll swoop in from above and peck at the eagle’s head and back. They’ll continue to harass the eagle until he leaves the area.

In this photo, I think the photographer was just fortunate enough to click the shutter at the exact moment the crow struck the eagle’s back, and the crow was only there for a split second.

There’s no way the crow could have been riding that eagle.

[piasa]

It’s not fake, it is part of a series of photos showing the crow approaching and alighting.

[piasa]

That’s an immature night heron.

[cripplecreek]

Also seems to match “some” photos of immature green herons.

[piasa]

A juvenile black-crowned night heron, more specifically, I believe.

[cripplecreek]

So what do you think? I originally thought it might be an immature Great Blue but I think its either an immature Green or Night heron.

[piasa]

I don’t think juvie green herons have large red eyes, but night heron do.

[cripplecreek]

Southern Michigan. Wiki shows the black crowned breeding range here, plus it looks like there may be a small year round population.

[piasa]

A very nice photo, thanks for sharing.

[uglybiker]

Your argument is invalid.

[dainbramaged]

My computer didn’t like that image but it took me to imgur with a click. Don’t think I’ve ever seen an immature blue heron - my Tennessee grandpa (born 1889) called them shagpokes.