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A Baby Snatched Up By Golden Eagle?

Baby Snatched Up By Eagle

Kidnapping is ill-eagle! In a compelling YouTube video, an eagle is captured seemingly grasping a baby and raising it several feet above the ground.

Introduction

Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Image via Depositphotos

Get the answer if this is real or not real below! But first, let’s look whether it’s possible for an eagle to pick up a child.

Strength of Eagle

golden eagle
Golden eagle flying above the blooming meadow. Image via Depositphotos

Golden eagles are known for their remarkable strength, with powerful physical attributes that make them formidable hunters. Here are some key aspects of their strength:

Talons

Golden eagle talons
Golden eagle on a stand of falconry in Betanzos, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. Fernando Losada Rodríguez, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Golden eagles have incredibly strong talons, which they use to catch and grip their prey. These talons are sharp and can exert a crushing force, allowing them to capture and immobilize a wide range of prey, including mammals and birds.

Beak

Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle in the Wisentgehege Springe game park near Springe, Hanover, Germany. Michael Gäbler, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Their sharp, hooked beaks are designed for tearing into flesh. Once they have secured their prey with their talons, they use their beaks to deliver precise and powerful bites.

Flight

Wild Golden Eagle
Wild Golden Eagle. By Giles Laurent – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=142134111

Golden eagles are agile and skilled flyers, capable of rapid and powerful flight. They can reach high speeds and have strong wings that enable them to soar and cover large distances efficiently.

Vision

Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle photographed in Moscow. Image by Dmitry Grigoriev via Unsplash

Their keen eyesight is another aspect of their strength. Golden eagles have exceptional vision, allowing them to spot prey from high in the sky. They can see small animals moving on the ground from great distances.

Hunting Strategy

golden eagle
A golden eagle. Image via Depositphotos

Golden eagles are known for their hunting strategy, which often involves using their strength and speed to surprise and ambush their prey. They may dive at high speeds to catch prey off guard.

Carrying Capability

Golden eagle. Image via Depositphotos

Golden eagles are capable of carrying relatively heavy prey, sometimes even prey larger than themselves, by using their powerful talons and beaks.

Heaviest Object A Golden Eagle Would Be Able To Pick Up?

golden eagle
Golden eagle. Image via Pixabay

Golden eagles are formidable predators, but their ability to pick up and carry objects or prey is limited by their own body weight and physical strength. While their powerful talons and beak allow them to capture and carry prey, they cannot lift objects that are significantly heavier than themselves.

The maximum weight a golden eagle can lift and carry depends on several factors. This includes the individual eagle’s size, age, and physical condition. On average, a fully grown adult golden eagle typically weighs between 7–15 lb (3–7 kg). Therefore, they are generally limited to capturing and carrying prey that is smaller than or roughly equal to their own body weight.

The Snatch

Image by ABC News via YouTube

In the footage, a giant raptor, believed to be a golden eagle, snatched up a baby off the grass in a park in Montreal. The bird carried this baby a few feet, and then dropped it again.

YouTube video
Eagle Snatches Baby in Viral Video,” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: ABC News

The Video is Not Real!

Image by ABC News via YouTube

However, as the saying goes, “the truth will out.” In this case, further investigation revealed that the video was a clever creation by animation students in Montreal. While the video itself was a work of fiction, it still managed to convey a deeper truth – the strength and grandeur of golden eagles.

Conclusion

Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle in Valencia Birding Photography Hides. Image by Mark van Jaarsveld via Unsplash

While the idea of a golden eagle lifting a baby may belong to the realm of fantasy, it reminds us of the remarkable capabilities of these birds of prey. Their strength and hunting prowess are awe-inspiring, and they play a vital role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems.

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Tuesday 31st of October 2023

It would be good to know if the baby was released from the eagle

Jack

Tuesday 31st of October 2023

Well done

Wednesday 27th of September 2023

No, it didn't snatch the kid up,it's fake..but glad you work so hard at accurate reporting.

Smokin Paul

Monday 30th of October 2023

👍 You beat me to it. This article was phoned in with minimal work. 😄

Captain pickles

Wednesday 27th of September 2023

It's another lie just like climate HOAX it needs to change!

mike

Monday 25th of September 2023

"Golden eagles are capable of carrying relatively heavy prey ... by using their powerful talons and beaks."

Monty Pythons and The Holy Grail tells us:

It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios!

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