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Conflict of ealges (C)
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Conflict of ealges (C)

by John Tobias

Gallery: AvianPosted March 26, 2011238 views10 comments
I was teaching a youth class zoo photography when we arrived at the bald eagle exhibit. You could sense that the eagles were tense, when suddenly the male started chasing the female (neither can fly the result of pre-zoo injuries) suddenly the two birds had clasp talons and locked together were rolling around the exhibit accompanied by loud vocalizations. After a few minutes, they seperated and breathing hard stayed away from each other. Not sure if this was mating behavior, although it did have some behaviors which might be mating behavior, or simply a spousely disagreement. In any case it certainly gave the students interesting action to photograph.

Canon XSi
1/320 @ F6.3 ISO 400
Tamron 18-200 @ 200mm

Comments

10 comments
Comment posted by Peter Conway on March 26, 2011 at 9:47 AM
Great action. Looks like the right hand Eagle was in danger of losing an eye!

Peter
Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Roberts on March 26, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Ouch! They definately know how to use those talons as weapons.
Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments
Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on March 26, 2011 at 10:13 AM
Very interesting action. Most unusual image
Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments
Comment posted by Hali Sowle on March 26, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Cool, unusual image, that one eagle looks like it almost had another bad injury from the talon so close to the eye.
Registered on January 9, 2008, 36 Posts, 582 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Cloran on March 26, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Interesting. Part of their mating "dance" is a free fall with intertwined talons. Since they can't fly what you observed my be the best they can do.
Registered on April 6, 2004, 119 Posts, 1989 Comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 26, 2011 at 10:48 PM
I'd say mating behavior. Not much different than if they were mating in flight - the rolls and falls is truly spectacular to see.
Nice image!
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by richard remington on March 27, 2011 at 10:04 AM
John,

Great job with the DOF as all is in focus with minimal blur. Nice work!

Rick
Registered on March 12, 2010, 105 Posts, 368 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 27, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Great timing great capture
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by Avi Hirschfield on March 28, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Looks more like they are recovering from a rough night out :cool:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 518 Posts, 2114 Comments
Comment posted by May Haga on March 28, 2011 at 3:08 PM
Totally cool action John.
May
Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments