What Were Those Eagles Doing?

You can see the two eagles tangled in the
tree in this photo.

We wanted to address a recent incident in the St Paul, Minnesota area.  Two adult bald eagles in this very urban neighborhood appeared to be tangled together with their feet, while still in a tree.  Fortunately, a Minnesota DNR conservation officer and The Raptor Center staff were able to mobilize fire and rescue crew in an attempt to assist the birds.  Once the crew arrived and attempted a rescue, however, the birds untangled themselves and both flew away.

What was happening?  As our bald eagle populations have become more robust, the increased pressure to find suitable nesting territory has also increased.  Habitat is everything to these birds; it provides the hunting areas to feed a family of hungry chicks, and safety of trees to watch for predators.  Birds will vigorously defend territory already procured, and new birds looking for a territory of their own will not give up easily.   Humans occupy much of the space/area that would be most desirable, leaving fewer choices.  There are also more humans in these urban areas who observe the disputes between birds for territory. 

  The Raptor Center can be reached at 612-624-4745 in the Minnesota area for consultation, and to assist with finding appropriate agencies to help, depending on your location. 

This is the tree/yard in which the eagles
were found.

If you do see raptors in distress, please do not intervene unless you can safely do so.

MNDNR CO Brad Johnson.