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Archive 2017 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter

  
 
Imagemaster
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Female Bald Eagles weigh an average of 12 lbs., and males 9 lbs. They can't lift off and fly away with prey that weighs more than half their body weight. An adult River Otter weighs anywhere from 11 to 30 pounds.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=343

With the recent herring spawn, there have been high numbers of Bald Eagles in the area. Besides catching fish, the eagles will routinely try and pick off any type of duck or other seabird from the ocean. They will even go for loons and cormorants, even though they may not be able to fly back to shore with them. Some eagles will even try and snatch fish from sea lions or river otters.

River Otters are very strong, with good claws and teeth, and they can easily come up from underneath and kill a Canada Goose or swan

I neither photographed nor saw the following, but it was related to me by a reliable source. Off Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, BC, an eagle attacked a river otter in the ocean. During this encounter, two accompanying otters joined the fight and the eagle was killed. The eagle could have been trying to snatch a fish from the otter, or perhaps it was just a young eagle and/or one that made a deadly mistake in judgement.












Mar 13, 2017 at 06:09 PM
surfnron
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Interesting story and very nice shots Tony ~ Ron


Mar 13, 2017 at 08:00 PM
arbitrage
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


That is one crazy story Tony....some eagles are pretty stupid/desperate...

TFS
Geoff



Mar 13, 2017 at 08:03 PM
morris
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Excelent photos from the past illustrating a great educational story from the present Tony

Morris



Mar 13, 2017 at 08:10 PM
JimLittle
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Interesting!


Mar 14, 2017 at 09:16 AM
birdied
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Nice shots Tony and quite the story.

Birdie



Mar 14, 2017 at 10:21 AM
cohenfive
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


Interesting. I recently returned from a trip to Yellowstone, and we were really lucky to see a similar engagement between a bald eagle and a family of river otters literally right outside our hotel room (which was on the river about 50 feet above). An adult baldie came screaming down the river at full tilt, then landed in a tree right on the river close to the hotel. He/she took off after a minute, flew further downstream, and landed on another tree. Right afterwards it took off again, but this time veered towards the other side of the river. It dove at something, failed and then flew off down river. We kept looking at the 'fish' that it went after, but it didn't look like fish. We were pretty far away, but there were a few grey things on the river bank. We got out binoculars and saw that it was three river otters, likely parents with one pup. I have no idea whether the eagle was going for the otters or maybe a fish they had, but it was cool to see. With the eagle gone the otters proceeded to swim and fish back upstream towards us. Made for a good photo opp.




Mar 14, 2017 at 12:10 PM
maneyo
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Bald Eagle versus River Otter


great story..and excellent shots. Thanks for sharing.


Mar 17, 2017 at 06:27 AM





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