Eagles Killing Calves?

Kevwood · #1 03-20-2012, 09:36 PM

My father works at a farm supply store and today he had a farmer in from Lac La Biche that had a rather interesting story...for years he has had 2 eagles that live nearby and during calving time would feast on the discarded placentas from the corrals...last year with all the snow he had his cattle calving away from the corrals, in the trees, etc... he said he lost 13 calves to Eagles? All calves taken were from heifers and he had personally witnessed one of the two eagles drive off the heifer while the other would fly in and pick up the newborn 50lb calf(must be a smaller breed of cattle) and fly to "tree top level" and then drop the calf to kill it...the two eagles would then go in and eat at the dead calf? I don't know if he saw this once and yotes or wolves got the other 12 and he figured the eagles were responsible for all or he saw the eagles do this numerous times? My questions are: is this possible? I know Eagles are huge but can an Eagle fly a 50lb animal to tree top level? and if so where was the video cam? That would be amazing to see!!!

Beerfish · #2 03-20-2012, 09:43 PM

Sounds like total bull **** to me.

yoteblaster · #3 03-20-2012, 09:54 PM

I don,t believe it for a second. I used to have cattle as well. My cattle always calved in the corral but there were bald eagles nearby. Never had a problem.

pickrel pat · #4 03-20-2012, 10:02 PM

should be in the hunting bs thread...... LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevwood · #5 03-20-2012, 10:15 PM

When my dad told me this tonight I immediately called BS...just wanted to see if anyone here has witnessed an Eagle pick up anything larger than a good sized fish....

fish gunner · #6 03-20-2012, 10:20 PM

I have witnessed a baldy half lift half drag a dead calf some distance. I do not believe an eagle could actually fly with the load of a calf. a golden, I have witnessed fly with a 30lb lamb. it dragged it down hill till it gained speed to attain flight.

darius · #7 03-20-2012, 10:28 PM

are y sure it was not a 50 lb badger ?

i agree sounds like a story from a certan somenone and should be in the hunting/fable section ..

although this being said i saw a video of golden eagles somwhere in south america? pickin up baby wild goats off cliffs and droping them to their death to eat . soemone with superior googler skills could easy find these videos /

Lone_Wolf · #8 03-20-2012, 10:51 PM

Doubt it was bald eagles. Golden eagles on the other hand................

Ggeorge · #9 03-20-2012, 10:55 PM

I have seen eagles push cow and calf off to get at the after birth. But never bother the calf. to much food around to work hard for it.

Kevwood · #10 03-20-2012, 11:03 PM

my apologies for posting this guys...hahaha...just googled,youtubed etc... ya goldens can carry quite the load, baldies not as much...some pretty cool vids of grabbing sheep and goats off cliffs though...I just called my old man, he has dealt with this farmer for years and knows him pretty well...he said he's gonna give him a shout tomorrow(gotta call him about today's order anyways) and quiz/razz/call BS on him....hahaha

Ken07AOVette · #11 03-20-2012, 11:05 PM

Interesting read

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_d...pubs/96-77.pdf

fordtruckin · #12 03-21-2012, 03:27 AM

3 weeks ago I watched 2 immature bald eagles attack some deer. They would fly down low with their talons out and grab onto the deers flank. Course they didn't fly away with the animal so beats me. I suppose anything is possible.

pickrel pat · #13 03-21-2012, 05:14 AM

I just find it hard to beleive a 7 - 15 lb bird can scoop up a 50 lb animal...... if i had wings, it would be equal to me scooping up an alaskan bull moose! lol!

catnthehat · #14 03-21-2012, 05:27 AM

Goldens are a heckuva lot bigger than a bald eagle for sure, and a small goat kid is a lot smaller than a calf.
I've seen lots of videos about Goldens, but none about a bald eagle being able to do that.

Cat

gramps73 · #15 03-21-2012, 07:27 AM

A few years back I watched a Golden grab a Black tail fawn on the Island, as hard as that bird tried he could not get the thing off the ground...I will never forget the sound that the dying fawn made...

sunsetrider2011 · #16 03-21-2012, 07:38 AM

Back in the old days of my cowboying way of life, ive watched balds attack calves just after they were born, and as for goldens very rare but they will do the same, BUT they will and can Not fly away with one, back in those days they were considered a predator, and were shot like wolves and coyotes by the ranchers, in somecases the eagles were worse than the coyotes, I personally have not seen or watched an eagle pick up a calf and fly away but i have seen them kill calves.

Lefty-Canuck · #17 03-21-2012, 08:40 AM

An eagle could kill a calf, or a deer or antelope fawn but I highly doubt they could pick the whole thing off the ground and fly away with it....

See link below to a golden killing an antelope....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5pWGtQNXps

LC

gutline homestead · #18 03-21-2012, 12:05 PM

were the tree top .on regrowth. I enjoy watching the videos on you tube where they use eagles to hunt wolves.

chain2 · #19 03-21-2012, 01:23 PM

It could be carried by a African swallow!

Kinda reminds me of the ol...well here...chain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4_9kDO3q0w