Could a eagle take out a deer?

I dont see why they couldnt kill a deer. Anything large or small will die eventually if hit in the right place. The spinal cord as shown would do it. Any artery hit could make a large animal bleed out. An eagles talon are pretty long and obviously sharp. So why couldnt it kill a deer sized animal. I honestly dont believe they could carry it off though except for maybe a fawn. If they could it would be one of those things you have got to see to believe.
 
No wonder some people despise eagles, not to mention why I sometimes read about them being shot/poisoned. As has been demonstrated here in this thread with the pics/video (Thanks for the enlightenment YellowHammer) eagles apparently spend a good deal of their time killing, even domestic livestock for that matter. I suppose that could put them in the same category as coyotes/wolves/nuisance animals to some people. I always wondered what drives anyone to kill a protected bird like an eagle, but maybe these people feel they're just protecting their livestock. Interesting.
 
Just for clarification George, there is no "Mexican" eagle, in the US we have Bald eagles, which by the way are smaller than Golden eagles,and are primarily fish eagles, occasionally eating carrion and we have the Golden eagles. Living down here in southern Arizona I hear so many of the locals calling what are indeed Golden eagles, "Mexican" eagles,and even upon correction they can't get it thru their redneck head that a mexican eagle, is simply a Golden eagle that has flown over the border:)
I suppose their daddy called them "Mexican" eagles as did their grand daddy etc....some myths never die, like uncle Johns great grand daddy saw a black panther I suppose:)
 
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Had an opportunity to observe a bald eagle getting chased (harrassed more like it)by several redwing blackbirds while up in Ontario last week fishing. It looked like one of the birds actually landed on its back. Im sure that was a perception thing.

We go up for a week to ten days every year and always get the opportunity to stun a pike and watch the eagle come and pick him up.

To the question, I imagine an eagle could kill a deer but I can't imagine one could fly with a deer or for that matter anything over ten pounds. JMO
 
I watched a pair of Bald eagles take out two canada geese from a flock at about 1000feet up. The eagles hit the geese and "rode" them on down, flapping away. It was one of the coolest things I've seen in the wild.


Well except for the hummingbirds we see riding on the backs of the Canada geese when they head south for the winter. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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some myths never die, like uncle Johns great grand daddy saw a black panther I suppose



Now THAT one isn't a myth, though you got it just a little confused. It was Uncle John's great granddaddy's boss's nephew that actually saw the black panther. I KNOW that one is true, cause I heard it from the guy who mowed Uncle John's friend's lawn.
 
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Just for clarification George, there is no "Mexican" eagle, in the US we have Bald eagles, which by the way are smaller than Golden eagles,and are primarily fish eagles, occasionally eating carrion and we have the Golden eagles. Living down here in southern Arizona I hear so many of the locals calling what are indeed Golden eagles, "Mexican" eagles,and even upon correction they can't get it thru their redneck head that a mexican eagle, is simply a Golden eagle that has flown over the border:)




The eagles that I watched kill the calf in BC, were bold eagles 2 males and a female.
And the eagles that I see on are ranches in south Texas I never heard them called anything other then Mexican eagles.
They don't resemble any other eagles I have seen.
but to me it don't really matter what you call them, because the eagles I see in south Texas that I call Mexican eagles are only half the size of the eagles I seen that I called bold eagles and like I said
my opinion they ant killing a deer
 
Wow, is this thread riddled with a mixture of fact and folklore. But about the video. Those are Mongolian (Kazakh) falconers and they hunt with the Steppe Eagle. They are started on rabbit and fox. As they mature and gain experience they are flown at the small musk deer found in the area. The ultimate flight is when they are flown at full grown wolves. Want to go see it done in person? Here's where to make reservations: http://hiddentrails.com/asia/eagle-hunter.htm
 
As for the original question, "Can an eagle kill a deer?", the answer is yes. Eagles are very powerful and dangerous birds, even when trained for falconry. The gripping strength of their feet is unbelievable. An average human hand has the strength of squeezing a respectable 20 psi. But the grip of the golden eagle is capable of more than 500 psi. (I know, I used to hunt with one.)

Very hungry eagles will often attack, and attempt to kill, quarry much larger than itself. This is a natural survival instinct. Hunger makes an eagle hunt. It will normally hunt small, easy prey. If an eagle is unfed for 2-3 (or more) days (weight loss is determining factor) the bird goes into a condition called "yarak". This is a natural behavior that falconers use to their advantage when hunting with birds of prey. Yarak prompts a raptor to attack and kill with a ferocity five times greater than its "normal" hunting manner. When a wild eagle is pushed into this condition it will most certainly attack, and is capable of killing, deer and even larger prey.
 
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Those are Mongolian (Kazakh) falconers and they hunt with the Steppe Eagle.



Which is really just a golden eagle. From the link you posted:

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Kazakh men have hunted from horseback with trained golden eagles, the largest and most powerful of raptors



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The Siberian musk deer weighs 7 - 17 kg (15 - 38 lb).


http://www.animalinfo.org/species/artiperi/moscmosc.htm

This would be about the size and weight for white-tail or mule deer fawns.
 
Your right Sean, after I posted my answer, I thought he might be referring to the Caracara....never any telling what Texans call stuff:)
Down in my part of the world, the locals are set to calling Golden eagles "Mexican" eagles, so that lead me to believe he was referring to the same thing. When ever locals would see the immature Goldens, sporting their darker plumage, instead of the golden, lacey plumage of an adult, they just presumed they were some of those black "Mexican" eagles.
 
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Which is really just a golden eagle.



In a manner of speaking, they could be considered cousins. The American Golden Eagle is Aquila Chrysaetos. The Asian Steppe Eagle is A. Nipalensis. Very similar birds, but DNA shows they are different.

This relationship is not unlike the genetic sublimation differences between the Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) found in CA and the Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) found in CO and NM. Very similar, but not the same.
 
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In a manner of speaking, they could be considered cousins. The American Golden Eagle is Aquila Chrysaetos. The Asian Steppe Eagle is A. Nipalensis. Very similar birds, but DNA shows they are different.




I assume that you meant the golden eagle found in America and not the American golden eagle since that distinction is not made.

The website that you referrenced makes no mention of them using Steppe Eagles, but specifically says they are goldens.

Steppe eagles are as you say different. Steppe Eagle

There are 6 subspecies of goldens, 2 of which range into Siberia and Kazakhstan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Eagle

Boy arn't we learning a lot about eagles? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I know I am.
 
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I'm sure the generic term "golden eagle" used in the link was not intended to be a scientific classification. Just a convenient phrase. No more scientific than immature goldens being referred to as "Mexican black eagles" along the southern U.S. border.

BTW, Caracara's and eagles are easily distinguished whether perched or in flight. It doesn't take an ornithologist to tell the difference, just someone who spends a little time in the desert.

I'm told that Caracara's actually make decent pets. But they may be protected. Since they are classified as a raptor, a falconry permit would be required to possess one.

Great thread YH.
 
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I'm sure the generic term "golden eagle" used in the link was not intended to be a scientific classification. Just a convenient phrase



Possibly. My point was that a sub-specis of golden and Steppe eagles have overlapping range (Russia, Kazahkstan, Manchuria).

Caracara are most definately protected by the migratory bird treaty act.
 
Acknowledged. More facts. Golden eagles can bring down prey weighing as much as one hundred pounds, and this fast and aggressive species can be viewed as the ultimate hunting bird.

Close relatives of the golden eagle historically used by falconers yesterday and today are the imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca), the tawny eagle (Aquila rapax rapax) and the steppe eagle (Aquila rapax nipalensis). Although all three are slightly smaller than the golden eagle, they have skills and temperment that uniquely adapt them for specific kinds of prey.

Now, someone mentioned the South American Harpy Eagle. I'd like to introduce you to his badazz cousin the Philippine Monkey-Eating Eagle. Not only does this bad boy kill monkeys, pythons, geese, dogs, pigs, goats and tree sloths, but is on record for attacking small children.
http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/philippine-eagle.html

 
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You all are dreaming:) NASA can address this one, he's resident bird expert and amateur falconer,



Me, too, actually. I was a raptor biologist for about 15 years and have been a falconer for close to 25. I've trapped and transmittered about 30 golden eagles and have been up close and personal with Harpies at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise. The feet on a Harpy eagle are absolutely HUGE.

Goldens could definitely take a deer if they were hungry enough and the opportunity arose. A mated pair that hunts together could definitely do it, although I wouldn't call it "frequent". Also, I now live and work on my family's cattle ranch here in NM and have _never_ had a problem with goldens. I know some places- WY, TX- have a problem with them on sheep and no question that young birds probably take some calves, but don't paint them all with the same brush. My resident eagles are no problem at all.

Also, the Russian eagles are subspecies, but among falconers who have hands-on experience (.ie Stephen Bodio), the Berkut goldens have a reputation for larger size and more feroucious temperment. I doubt this has ever been documented simply because of the difficulty of getting into deep Russia to weigh the things, so we'll just have to leave it as anectodal. Peregrines, for instance, can vary quite widely in size among subspecies from the rather small Falco peregrinus cassini to the much larger F. p. pealei. The biggest golden I've personally ever handled was a 16 lb female that was just huge. It took both hands to hold her feet- one foot per hand.
 
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