Cooperative hunting by Bald Eagles is common. I've watched a pair of Bald
Eagles try to drown a lone Bufflehead on Discovery Bay.
Gene Bullock
Poulsbo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur Berman" <aberman at telus.net>
To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 7:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Bald Eagles' Double-Teamed Attack


> Carol Ledford wrote:
>> Yesterday (Saturday), at Ridgefield NWR (~4mi W of I-5 at Exit 14 in SW
>> Washington; http://www.fws.gov/ridgefieldrefuges/), I watched two adult
>> Bald Eagles cooperatively hunt and take a sitting duck in the middle of
>> Rest Lake. First one, then the other eagle would swoop in and attack the
>> duck, striking at it, causing the duck to dive in an attempt to get away
>> from them. After about a dozen strikes, the duck could no longer avoid
>> the eagles, and succumbed. The lighting was poor at this angle, and the
>> best I could determine was that the duck may have been a ring-necked
>> duck. The whole thing was very interesting, yet a bit sad, to watch.
>> I've not previously seen this sort of cooperative hunting by birds.
> I don't see why this is sad instead of a special opportunity to observe
> behaviour. We thrill at the sight of the majestic eagle, yet perhaps
> ignore what in nature is normal and assume, perhaps, that eagles are
> vegetarians.
>
> Arthur Berman
> North Vancouver, BC
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