US Eagle Population Soaring!

Are Your Pets Safe? What about Toddlers?

Apr 12, 2023

Bald Eagles can usually lift between five and six pounds, but have been known to lift an object up to ten pounds if they come at it with high speed. The four birds with the strongest lift capacity are all different types of eagles

Can eagles lift a cat?

The answer is yes. An eagle can pick up a house cat because the cat’s weight is less than most eagles’ body weight.

Although eagles rarely hunt cats because of their claws and how adept they are at evading predators, an eagle will prey on a cat if the opportunity arises.

What size of dog can an eagle carry?

Eagles can generally lift more than half their body weight. With that said, a big eagle such as the bald eagle can carry a small dog weighing up to 4 or 5 pounds, but the way the load is carried and whether it is moving or not matters too.

Ok, Hobbit fans! (Spoiler alert. Turn away now!) How many eagles will it take to lift an adult?

An average adult human weighs about 135 lbs. Therefore, it will take about 20 (flight formation is a force amplifier) to 26 bald eagles to lift an adult lying unconscious on a ledge at Mount Doom ( dead weight represents max lift. Carrying a struggling victim is harder). On the other hand 3 to 7 Harpy eagles would do the trick. They routinely carry 20 to 40 pounds in order to maintain their standing as world's strongest BOP.

Ok, ChatGPT went a little wild with the illustrations. You get the idea..

Location is Everything:

Remember, your location is a big factor in determining the risk of whether an eagle could carry out a successful hit. As expert flyers, they are well aware of this!

If the load is lifted from a hill down or if the load is moving in the same direction as the eagle, it is easier to carry.

So…( and you pilots will appreciate this):

Letting your puppy run ahead of you down a grassy open hill, with a fresh cold low dew-point headwind sweeping uphill, at sea level, would be your ultimate nightmare pet abduction scenario, assuming the presence (“ASSUME HUNGRY EAGLES!”- Sorry) of hungry, desperate eagles

Ok, here's what you really want to know:

Can an eagle lift a baby?

Apparently the answer is a Yes. An example is a viral report when a golden eagle swoops down and picks up a baby in a park.

Luckily the baby was too heavy for the eagle to lift, so it dropped the child. Watch!! (WARNING: GROWNUPS ONLY!!)

https://youtu.be/ZaXI57qpasM

Ever lost anything to a bird of prey?

Please Leave a high flying thought, a piercing insight, or raptorous memory below!

Bonus!

12 Craziest Eagle Attacks Caught On Camera!

Eagles are the apex predators of the sky and can rain down hell on any prey they choose. Their precision lets them deliver a final blow so powerful it can dismantle any creature, regardless of its size. And if you thought eagles couldn’t possibly attack humans, well, you better sit down ‘cause we have some news for you. As if that wasn’t unlikely enough, eagles don’t even spare huge bears either or innocent kangaroos for that matter. Don’t believe us?

Keep on watching because here are the craziest eagle attacks ever caught on camera.