Eagles: Hunters of the Sky by Ann Cooper

Author:Ann Cooper
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781461733904
Publisher: Roberts Rinehart
Published: 1992-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Going Hunting

Golden Eagles hunt over open grasslands and deserts, ever watchful for signs of prey far below. A successful attack depends on surprise. The eagle often cruises along just behind a ridge, checking over the top every so often. If it sees prey, it will swoop down for the kill.

Prey-animals are often camouflaged, which means they blend in with their surroundings. Movement catches a predator’s eye. If a small animal sees the predator or even the shadow of the predator moving across the landscape, it will “freeze” to avoid giving itself away.

Golden Eagles sometimes hunt in pairs. One eagle, usually the heavier female, walks on the ground to scare up a rabbit while the lighter and swifter male circles above. When the startled rabbit runs to escape the first eagle, it may be caught unaware by a surprise attack from the second one.

A Bald Eagle sometimes glides along shorelines and over marshes, swooping down to catch fish or water birds it happens to see. More often it hunts from a perch overlooking a favorite fishing hole. There it waits and watches until it sees a fish, then glides down and grabs the fish in its talons. Flying can be difficult if the fish is heavy or if it is struggling. If need be, the eagle can swim to shore dragging the fish. It uses its great wings to do a splashing butterfly stroke. Bald Eagles also wade into the water to catch fish or even wait over a hole in the ice. This is one situation in which the eagle might use its curved bill as a killing tool. Bald Eagles steal fish from each other and even hijack Ospreys (fish hawks) in midair to steal their catch.

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