Eagles CAN take off from the water!

[Tetepare]

Shortly after anchoring offshore with the breeze blowing offshore I saw someone floundering 300m away. Somebody in a wetsuit- no, it's two people in a wetsuit...no, it's an eagle!


The eagle struggled, perhaps with a fish. With the wind direction, it wasn't going to get to shore. And clearly, it was lying in the water.


We jumped in the inflatable with a fishing net (wondering...good idea?) and headed toward it. We made it about 200m when the eagle struggled then became aloft!


So despite what National Geographic says, eagles can take off from the water.

[Suijin]

I have no doubt fishing eagles like bald eagles can, having seen one do it with a good sized fish after a flubbed snatch n grab.

If they couldn’t do it either they’d not fish like that or there would be a lot of drowned eagles.

[svHyLyte]

Odd's are, what you saw was an Osprey--sometimes called a "Sea Eagle" as they closely resemble Eagles although actually classified as a "fish hawk" per the Audubon Field Guide. They hit the water feet/talons first--much to the distress of an unlucky fish--and after floundering around for a few minutes to face into the wind, will launch off the top of a swell and carry their catch back to a convenient spot for a meal. Hope it's not your masthead as, not being particularly fastidious, they do make a heck of a mess!

[SuW]

Interesting experience. Presumably there are a lot of training runs before an adult eagle/osprey masters the elegant stoop and snatch and carries off the hapless fish!

The other day we were out sailing and saw a great blue heron flying by. The water was >50 feet deep. The heron grabbed a fish from the surface right in front of us and kept flying. I didn't know they could do that.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Odd's are, what you saw was an Osprey--sometimes called a "Sea Eagle" as they closely resemble Eagles

No, it was an immature bald eagle born about four miles east of where we saw it in the water.


Weekend before we saw an incredible show, a mature bald chasing an Osprey trying to get the osprey's fish. The osprey can spin on a dime, but the eagle is so powerful that two wing strokes and it was right on the osprey again. They battled 15' over our heads, went over the water, came back, then over the water again. Two minutes after we first started observation the osprey was very tired, having trouble gaining altitude, and the eagle gave up. One lucky osprey.

[thinwater]

I was sailing mid-Cheapeake under spinakar when a bald eagle with a particularly large fish londed on the head of the chute. I guess it was a flat spot and land was pretty far. He stayed for about 10 minutes, fish bones raining down.


I expected holes, but the head is so reinforced no damage was done.


Of course, later one ripped the wind vane off the masthead at dock. Caught him on film, the dirty bird. Different story.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Odd's are, what you saw was an Osprey--sometimes called a "Sea Eagle" as they closely resemble Eagles although actually classified as a "fish hawk" per the Audubon Field Guide.

I've never heard of an Osprey being referred to as a "Sea Eagle" or a "Fish Eagle". They are VERY often referred to as "Sea Hawks" or "Fish Hawks".

You would have to not be very familiar with either to confuse an Osprey for a Bald Eagle. Bald Eagle (6-14lb)would be 2 - 4 times the size of an Osprey (3 lbs).

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I've never heard of an Osprey being referred to as a "Sea Eagle" or a "Fish Eagle". They are VERY often referred to as "Sea Hawks" or "Fish Hawks".

You would have to not be very familiar with either to confuse an Osprey for a Bald Eagle. Bald Eagle (6-14lb)would be 2 - 4 times the size of an Osprey (3 lbs).

I've heard osprey referred to as sea "eagles" more than "hawks". Probably a regional thing.


As far as not telling them apart- don't overestimate people. All guns are AK47s, all big birds are eagles, all superfast boats are Cigarettes, all skinny freshwater fish are pike, all hot red cars are Ferarris, etc. etc.

[MJH]

My 30 years in the Northwest have been an education in nature.

Eagles can swim as well. A few years ago from the deck on my house I saw an eagle trashing in the water coming ashore using his wings as we would arms moving through the water, head erect looking very proud. As he reached the shore I noted that he was dragging something...a crow, still alive in his claws. The crow was trying to get free and the eagle just shoved his head under the water and waited until the crow stopped wiggling. He then came ashore and plucked his feathers before having a meal.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Fiveslide]

Originally Posted by MJH

My 30 years in the Northwest have been an education in nature.

Eagles can swim as well. A few years ago from the deck on my house I saw an eagle trashing in the water coming ashore using his wings as we would arms moving through the water, head erect looking very proud. As he reached the shore I noted that he was dragging something...a crow, still alive in his claws. The crow was trying to get free and the eagle just shoved his head under the water and waited until the crow stopped wiggling. He then came ashore and plucked his feathers before having a meal.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

I used to share a dock with a vacation rental. The guests would often leave bait on the dock at the beginning of their stay, and the crows would shred whatever packaging it was in and leave a big mess. I think those crows could tear apart a fireproof safe if there was cut bait inside. I often didn't get down there to warn them in time and cleaned up the mess myself when I had to, just to get the crows to leave. Used my trusty red rider BB gun a time or two as well.

So... GO eagle, go.

[coastalexplorer]

Normally a bald Eagle catching a fish close to the surface will remain in flight. Should they miss judge that and becomes water bound; Typically they will use their wings to 'row ashore' So seeing one that has learnt to take off from the water would seem a bit exceptional. So interesting post.

[deblen]

This pair of Balds has learned to drown their prey (immature herring gull),take off from the drowning & lunch on the beach in front of my place. They also dive feet first like the ospreys,& go slightly under water to retrieve fish or diving ducks. But then,these are Canadian eagles / Len


pics by L. Small

[boom23]

Amazing pictures! Thank you!

[hpeer]

Yes, truly wonderful!

[JPA Cate]

Thanks, deblen, for posting the bald eagle pictures.

One day, Jim and i were in our dinghy, exploring up a mangrove creek in Pt. Stephens, under motor, about 5 kn. Suddenly, there was this rush of noise from behind us, and inches above Jim's head this huge wedgetailed eagle soared, talons extended, and snatched a fish out of the water just in front of us, and soared off. Big wow! My Simpson & Day bird book says they go to 210 cm. wingspan: 82 + inches! ....a little different than Big Bird, eh?

Ann