Eagle Catching A Fish In Viral Slow Motion Video Will Make Your Jaw Drop
We found a video that has over a million views on Twitter shared by writer/director Jay Arnold
Birds are surely amazing creatures. They lift your heart up as they soar in the sky, all the while you're stuck indoors because of COVID-19 lockdown.
And some birds take this up a notch by showcasing their sheer hunting skills -- spotting their prey from miles above in the sky and grabbing them in a swift move.
Twitter: @jadedcreative
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We found a video that has crossed over a million views on Twitter shared by writer/director Jay Arnold that involves an eagle showcasing this very trait. The bird in the video is shown flying in slow motion. In the beginning, you don¡¯t notice something striking except its really ginormous wings flapping in slow motion.
However, in a few seconds, you see one of the people on the boat throw a fish in the air right below the bird flying and the eagle instantly changes its trajectory to grab the fish mid-air. Words don¡¯t do justice to the capturing action of the fish and the result is truly jaw-dropping.
The largest and heaviest eagles
Looking at the size of the bird and the icy cold mountain in the background, this eagle could very well be a Steller¡¯s sea eagle. According to Wikipedia, These are one of the largest eagles in the world, and by extension, one of the heaviest too, weighing a good 5 to 9 kilograms.
The wingspan can stretch from 1.95 metres to 2.5 metres, and in case you didn¡¯t know, that¡¯s massive. They¡¯re known to possess a yellow bill with 12 rectrices -- feathers in the tail to help the birds manoeuvre-- a trait unique to this species. This is also seen on the bird in the video.
Wikipedia
Stellar¡¯s eagle are aggressive hunters
Their diet mostly consists of fishes with their favourite ones being salmon and trout -- in case they¡¯re from a river habitat. They mostly prey on fishes weighing up to 2.2 to 5 kilograms.
Their preference is hunting fish in shallow water. However, they¡¯re also known to hunt from a tree or rocky ledge above the water. They¡¯re also known to be more aggressive in their approach.
Stellar¡¯s eagles and extinction
Sadly, the species has been categorised as vulnerable in the ICUN list. In fact, they¡¯re legally protected and are classified as a national treasure in Japan.
Their life¡¯s at risk due to industrial pollution, habitat destruction and even overfishing that doesn¡¯t leave fishes for them to eat, causing them to move elsewhere and start again.
Looking at the bird in action below:Eagle? Where you been gurl? We¡¯re dying down here.
¡ª jay arnold ? (@jadedcreative) July 14, 2020
pic.twitter.com/Sv5jttw1xL