Golden Eagle attempts to whack Wild Turkey!

Of the estimated 20,000 or so Golden Eagles breeding in North America, only a small number occur in the east. Tennessee and a few other states, I believe, have attempted hacking eagles into seemingly suitable mountain habitats, with unknown results. Whether reintroduction programs have helped or not, it does seem that the breeding population of Golden Eagles in eastern mountain states is increasing.

Researchers in Tennessee have been studying eagles in the Volunteer State, and one of their strategies is to place trail cams near deer carcasses, the camera's unblinking eye trained on the carrion. Occasionally the cams produce spectacular results, as when a juvenile Golden Eagle attempted to take out a Wild Turkey:



That is one lucky turkey, and she may have set a world record land speed for the species in fleeing the eagle. To read the article about the resurgence of Golden Eagles in Tennessee, CLICK HERE.