Police called to break up party of hungry EAGLES at Alaskan Safeway supermarket
Feathers were flying in the parking lot of an Alaskan supermarket last week when police were called in to deal with a large flock of unruly bald eagles.
The majestic birds of prey - America's national symbol - made quite the scene outside the Unalaska Safeway store last Thursday when about three dozen of them descended on a pickup truck laden with fish.
Jamie Sunderland, director of public safety for the supermarket, said that several concerned citizens called in Thursday afternoon to report the unusual incident.
According to Sunderland, the feathered troublemakers converged on the ill-fated truck looking to feast on bags of fish fillets stored in the bed of the vehicle, the local station KUCB reported.
The public safety official said the owner of the truck confirmed that he and his passenger were trying to get rid of the seafood, but were too afraid to approach the vehicle because it was being assailed by about 40 ravenous eagles.
Shopper Jessica Earnshaw told the station that her car was parked next to the truck, and she was afraid of getting attacked by the chomping birds if she got too close.
‘I put my car alarm on so maybe that would let the eagles go away, but they still didn’t,’ Earnshaw said.
Police Officer Bill Simms, who responded to the bizarre call, turned on his sirens as he approached the parking lot swarming with eagles, which scared off some of them.
He then jumped into action, instructing the drivers of two of the vehicles targeted by the unwelcome feathered guests to get their keys ready and prepare to take off as soon as he shoos the eagles away.
The plan worked without a hitch, and the unlucky owner of the pickup truck managed to slip the flock of predators, who quickly lost interest in the parking lot after losing their movable feast of fish fillets.
No one was hurt in the incident, and Sunderland said the truck owner was not cited because no waste was left behind in the parking lot after the impromptu dinner party he had inadvertently throw for the bald eagles.
Source
VIDEO Flash Mob of 40 Bald Eagles Gather for Free Lunch
That's good that the people didn't start shooting. So eagles had really good charity feast there. So impressive! And it looks like a sign.....
That is awesome!!!!
My question is why would the eagles do this? Its not just about food... I may be wrong but I was under the impression eagles were not scavengers but hunters... also I wonder if there's an issue with the prey around there... prompting them to do what they did...
Young Eagles especially scavenge for food, even road kill. At times the Adult will eat anything dead or alive.
How nice and enjoyable way of writing, I thank the author of this article writing in perfect amusing language.
Amazing Bird, has represented USA, proudly, They will survive and so will Americans.
They are scavangers. They nest near our local dump. We often see them eating when we take trash. Also see them feasting on deer carcasses along the roads.
I am greatful the Eagle cleans up this earth mother,scavangeing..what would we be living in, what diseases would we have if this Great bird did not look after the foolishness and waste of the two leggeds...My gratitude to them that they do not abject to trying to clean your local dump
AWESOME!!!
ok little foot...
Definitely, a goood way to get rid of unwanted fish :) It looked a little scary though...
On the beach we have seagulls and that's what there acting like
Geez, just let them eat. The truck owner stated he wanted rid of the fish, and the trucks not exactly cherry. (A few talon marks wouldn't change it). Why did they have to bully the birds?
eagles are the highest order of scavengers.. i live on the beach in BC and i know eagles will take anything they can get their claws in... one of the biggest 'events' in an eagles year is salmon spawning.. they, along with other birds and mammals like bears feast on the dead and dying salmon...
any dang fool should know not to leave nice smelly fish where any bird can smell it..
Yes...it makes you wonder why, why are these eagle's just waiting around like how seagulls are scavenging....I would most definetly consider that abnormal.
This is what happens when u feed the wild, maybe bring it to the beach next time.
Oui c super que personne n'ait tiré sur ces beaux oiseaux , ils ont faim pour faire celà ou ils se vengent de la méchanceté des chasseurs envers eux et leurs congénères !!!! ts les animaux ont une mémoire bien plus développée que l'être humain !!!
This was truly awesome, they are wonderful and strong, mighty birds
Looks like the eagle is pushed, to live this kinda life now. Not by choice, so if this is how they have to survive then ook. One day they will have to be strong an hunt, like us ppl. Look at our burgers and ppl call the scavenger's. Sorry they an us are connected.
THOSE ARE BALD EAGLES. Opportunity knocked.
Them not bald eagles. Them bold vultures!
It's very strange to see this! A. Protected species!! Glad no one shot! Lessons :don't drive around with fish parts for everyone's safety!
I live in minnsota and ive seen then eating dead deer along side of the road
You don't see this everyday! Especially where I live , York Pa.
I'm sorry..but I say let them eat. They were obviously hungry and that man was getting rid of them anyway. I personally would have just watched them and waited till they were finished.
awfully beautiful, and worth watching..
I love bald eagles they are so beautiful. The owner of the truck should look at this as a way of paying forward.
Wow
well once they finished they would of left on their own....nothing to get alarmed about, just stay out of their way, they dont want the people they want the fish!!
Eagles are renowned scavengers! And thieves :-) Around here, they often nest near ospreys, who are better hunters; it's easier to steal the fish from the oppreys than to catch it!
It must have been like christmas for them to find a whole truck full of fish...owner should have just parked near the beach where they nest. Wonderful story and video.
It's a friggin shame that people would treat eagles like seagulls.
Makes perfect sense: Open pickup truck laden with fish....Eagles eat free today!
Humans are building and building, leaving less space for wild to live on, so they are not the thieves, we are...!!! Like bears, wolfs, eagles, pumas etc. They need their space, so stop complaining and enjoy the show...!!! Stupid driver he should of, just relaxed and let them eat, they were just helping to unload the cargo... Hahahahahaha.... By the way, I love eagles... :'D
Absolutely awesome. What a beautiful bird...hungry or not!
Exactly! They should have let them eat til they were done, and ready to leave!
what was the hurry? often i'm confused about people's actions, i would have taken pictures and watched the show.
I concur. Here! Here! And hehe and ho ho! LOL.
Score one for the eagles. Yes, Bald Eagles do scavenge from time to time. It's not uncommon. But a "movable feast" of fish in the open pick up would just be too tempting for an Eagle.
Enjoyed the video. What a great animal. Majestic and perfect...THANK YOU
Nice!!!
I'm a truck driver, and a couple of weeks ago I was driving along the highway and a bald eagle came swooping out of the sky RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY TRUCK and, without even stopping, snatched up something off the ground and flew off. It was amazing, and I was just glad I didn't hit it.
Amazing to watch.
beautiful, should have left then eat. And tape it!! Get awesome Youtube video.
beautiful, should have left then eat. And tape it!! Get awesome Youtube video.
Greetings,amazing & beautiful
Who doesn't love Eagles. I would have let them all chow down, the truck would have only had minor scratches on it from the talons, insurance would have covered a new paint job.
Eagles catch live salmon as they spawn in the rivers. It's not the dead and dying. They are great hunters. But there are a lot of eagles in Alaska and the food source may be sparse. Or fish are fish, and what better than a pick-up truck load.
BIG BIRDS! Scavengers really.
its really unusual to see eagles in a pack like that, they usually stay to themselves unless they have young or a matting couple.primarily they prefer to hunt their prey but will scavenge if they need to,seeing a large number of eagles in one place should be a cause for concern for the local wild life. If they are seeing otherwise solitary birds in public looking for food, how soon will it be before other more aggressive dangerous animals such as bears venture into human space in search of food?
The spillway at the Tuttle Creek Reservoir Damn near Manhattan, Kansas has had very large numbers of Bald Eagles fish there every winter. We loved to go park and watch them....PS even birds of prey don't turn away free food!
Eagles are so beautiful I've seen the catch fish an have seen them feed fish in Alaska there is nothing wrong with that when there is so many of them in the winter it is hard for them to all find something to eat they are our National Bird if man can help them so be it, As for myself the guy harmed no one nether did the Eagles, I would be scared to death of a Moose they have been known to kill a man not for food but because they are just mean they walk the streets of Anchorage .
Eagles are scavengers.
Eagles are scavengers.
That's why they are called birds of prey !
Agreed!
maybe a house made of dawn wasnt saying fish fillet to the snails of the weather bureau
I saw one swoop down on a dead cat that had been hit at the side of the road. I thought they only preyed on alive life. I see how their population is growing & also less undeveloped areas. The same is with crows. I dropped a dorito as I was eating a bag of chips outside a store when about the same amount or more crows came from all directions encircliing me. Destroying too much natural habitats that what it is.
I saw one swoop down on a dead cat that had been hit at the side of the road. I thought they only preyed on alive life. I see how their population is growing & also less undeveloped areas. The same is with crows. I dropped a dorito as I was eating a bag of chips outside a store when about the same amount or more crows came from all directions encircliing me. Destroying too much natural habitats that what it is.
Feeding station!
Aquilas non Capita Muscas...A + Exuberante das Aves.
I totally agree! :)
They already do! How alarming it must be to the wild animals that humans have invaded their lands and leave little food behind for them or feed them food meant for human consumption. What choice do they have? Survival is a most basic instinct for both humans and animals...Just saying...
if you live in Unalaska, eagle or not, you deserve what you can "get"!
It is the majestic Golden Eagle that is NOT a scavenger. Bald Eagles live mostly on scavenged food except during a salmon run and even then, they will take what the bears leave behind. The great American bird would rather let others hunt for it.
Beautiful creatures
they will take whatever food they can get, and if they don't have to work for it all the better