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Fish eagle brings home a big fish, ferocious aerial battle follows
Osprey, also known as fish eagles are gigantic birds, very close in size to a bald eagle. They perch in nests built high off the ground in dead trees or on power line poles. They always live near open water because their diet consists solely of fish. Expert aerial predators, they can spy a fish near the surface and swoop down with lightning speed and accuracy to grasp their prey and pluck it right out of the water.
This nest is located near Rice Lake in Ontario, Canada. The two fish eagles who inhabit the nest have just returned from their winter residence in the south.
The lady of the nest is the first bird that we see in the video. She is standing guard in the homestead while her mate has been off in search of food. Other mating pairs will try to occupy the nest if she leaves it unattended. She can be heard chirping excitedly as she sees her mate returning with a large bass that may weigh as much as 1kg (2.2lbs). Her keen vision allows her to see with incredible detail even before he comes close.
The powerful wings of the osprey allow it to carry creatures that are heavier than they are. As the male arrives, she greets him happily and looks at the fish. He will gladly share this meal with her, and many more in the coming months as she tends to the eggs and offspring that will be coming soon. But he is bringing home more than a fish. He is also bringing an interloper who wants to steal the meal from him and she is willing to do battle to get it.
Osprey attack from above and their razor sharp talons can pierce another animal and kill it. The male knows he needs to leave the nest in a hurry and he cannot lift off quickly enough with the fish. He drops out over the edge and begins a plummet downward to gain speed. He flies off to the right but returns again in an attempt to drop off the bass. His talons have barbs on them that make it almost impossible to let go of the bass without landing. He continues on when he realizes the intruder is coming again. The two are in great danger from the attacking bird who will actually try to kill the others for a chance to take the bass.
The female of the nest doesn't want to let the attacker come at her from behind and she leaves the nest to try to gain height and advantage to chase the other female away.
The bold intruder actually takes up position in the nest and the male chases her away, all the while still carrying his bass.
They repeated this for almost 30 minutes until the intruder grew tired and left the area. It seems that the pair from the nest found another spot to safely eat their fish.
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