A Mother Bald Eagle Adopts a Young Red-tailed Hawk Instead of Eating It
Video: GROWL
A Bald Eagle “Adopts” a Young Red-tailed Hawk on Gabriola Island, British Columbia, Canada, on June 4, according to Pam McCartney, a wildlife volunteer.
Initially, she thought the eagle was considering the young hawk as dinner. However, the predator instead placed the chick into its nest. This strange moment was captured and broadcast live by GROWL, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and conservation of wildlife on Gabriola Island.
“The mother eagle dropped the young red-tailed hawk, and it was still alive. The eaglet in the nest seemed to be asking, ‘What is that, Mom? Why is it moving?'” McCartney said. The mother eagle, the eaglet, and the young hawk then became an unusual family, with the mother bird feeding and caring for both chicks equally.
The mother Bald Eagle brings the young red-tailed hawk back to the nest.
This is not the first time such an event has occurred in British Columbia, according to biologist David Bird, a professor at McGill University. A similar case happened in 2019.
“The chick may have come from a red-tailed hawk nest that the adult bald eagle hunted. Then, the little hawk stood up and began begging for food immediately. That was what saved its life,” Bird explained. He noted that this behavior is rare. Additionally, GROWL’s camera system is only installed at a few nests, making the live broadcast even more special.
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey primarily found in North America. In the wild, their average lifespan is 28 years. Adult bald eagles typically have a wingspan of 1.8-2.5 meters and weigh between 3-6.5 kg. Their main prey is fish; however, they also seek other food sources such as birds, mammals, and even carrion.
