Luckily for us lovers of wildlife and nature, a photographer was at the ready with his camera when a spectacular scene played out at the Cobleskill Reservoir, a New York reservation about 45 miles west of Albany. As seen in the photo shared on Facebook, a small red-winged blackbird was “hitching a majestic ride” on the back of a tenacious bald eagle [1].
The incredible scene was captured by seasoned wildlife photographer, Bill Combs Jr. It shows a low-flying bald eagle cruising above a pond with a small blackbird perched on its back. The eagle also appeared to have an unfortunate fish caught in its talons.
The picture was shared on Facebook by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) with the hilarious hashtag: #SquadGoals
Combs is the local nature photographer at Cobleskill. He posted the photo on his Facebook timeline and it has since gone viral on social media.
“Now here is something you don’t see every day (never),” Combs wrote on his Facebook Page.
It’s not clear if the birds have a “relationship” or if the eagle actually knew the smaller bird was on its back. More of Combs’ photos from the scene shows the blackbird swooping down to find its balance on its helper’s back.
A Facebook comment read: “I see birds attack birds of prey all of the time. Chasing them away from their nests to say their eggs. They do it to Owls, Hawks, Buzzards and I’m sure Eagles too. Fascinating to watch. Not exactly hitching a ride.”
A similar, not-so-subtle event
While Combs’ photos show a relatively calm blackbird getting an “Uber ride” from a large eagle, a similar scene was captured in 2019 and the story is far less friendly [2]. The photographer, Jason McCarthy was in his Minnesota home when the terrifying drama played out right in front of him.
Red-winged birds are angry fellows known to be very territorial despite their tiny size. The female bald eagle had been hunting for fish, probably for her young. When she finally captured one, she turned around to go home, cutting too close to the other bird’s nest.
She was furiously attacked by the blackbird who jumped onto her back and sank its sharp claws into her neck. In the end, the bigger bird was powerful and was able to get away with minor injuries.
However, Jason says the battle was purely mismatched due to size and strength, and the eagle ignored the angry little menace “just as [humans] might ignore a small dog yipping at our heels.”
Read: Emperor Penguins Accidentally Knock Camera Over and Ended up Taking Hilarious Selfies
Bald eagles have made a majestic comeback
The bald eagle’s tale is proof that environmental activism truly works. Since 1782, the scraggly, mean-eyed bird with a white face and yellow beak has been the national bird of the United States. It features on the country’s official seal and is regarded as an emblem of power and strength.
However, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the situation of the birds took a saddening turn as their numbers dwindled massively from the lethal effects of DDT pesticides (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) [3]. Conservationists fought aggressively for the eagles and other affected species, and in 1972, DDT was banned from the United States [4].
The birds also faced troubles from relentless poaching and were being displaced due to habitat destruction. The species was finally included in the list of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The ESA was enforced nationwide in 1978 (except in Alaska where the populations remained steady), and a new dawn emerged for the birds. Also, government policies at repopulation included the protection of nests and habitats from human interference. The growth margin was exponential.
Bouncing Back
As of 1963, the population of the birds hit its lowest where experts estimated only 417 breeding pairs left in the wild. By 1997, 5,000 pairs were counted. The birds continued to increase exponentially and by 1999, the Fish and Wildlife Service began the process of removing the species from the endangered list.
Eight years later, in 2007, the bald eagle is no longer protected by the ESA, and on the IUCN’s red list, the species is categorized as “Least Concern” [5].
What a glorious recovery!
Keep Reading: Mother Goose Takes Care Of 47 Goslings And Keep Them All Safe
Sources
- “Red-winged blackbird photographed hitching ride on bald eagle’s back.” Fox News. Michael Ruiz. July 14, 2020.
- “A blackbird hopped on the back of a bald eagle, but it turns out that it wasn’t a joyride.” CNN. Scottie Andrew and Saeed Ahmed. July 9, 2019.
- “Bald Eagle, The Ultimate Endangered Species Act Success Story.” American Bird Conservancy. Rebecca Heisman. May 24, 2018
- “Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) Factsheet.” CDC.
- “Bald Eagle.” IUCN Red List.
