See an Eagle Fight a Coyote Up Close In Incredible Footage

This is what happens when two predators meet and neither will back down. It is a brutal and deadly confrontation filmed very close up so it is very graphic at times. It illustrates the ferocity of an eagle attack and how brutal they can be.

Eagle Attacks on Coyotes

It may be shocking to see this attack on a coyote but there are several other documented reports of this happening. One report describes an attack on a coyote by a golden eagle. The bird was circling 60 feet in the air when it spotted a coyote. It swooped down, striking the target between the shoulders and knocking it to the ground. Even though the coyote was initially able to get up and run away, the eagle pursued it and attacked again. It was eventually found after the eagle attack with the body cavity opened just below the ribs and several of the organs missing. There were puncture wounds to the skin in front the shoulders that were consistent with an eagle attack. The eagle’s talons had also punctured the lungs and aorta.

After viewing this video, it is easy to see that this coyote would have received similar injuries and that they would have been fatal.

Eagles Carrying Away Prey

As well as the ferocity of the attack, the other striking thing about this footage is the way the eagle is able to carry away an animal that is the same size or even bigger than they are! When you look at the world’s strongest birds, the eagles are ranked very high.

Near the top of the list is the harpy eagle which can lift 40 pounds and can therefore carry off a sloth or a monkey. Then there is the bald eagle which can lift around eight pounds. However, it can cause very nasty injuries to animals that are much bigger than it is including bears and elks.

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The golden eagle can lift up to ten pounds which it does using the power of its immense wings. It can have a wingspan of up to eight feet and its talons are four inches in length – just imagine the damage it can do with those!

So, what makes these birds such capable hunters? It is a combination of body musculature, wingspan, the size of talons and beak, a strong but lightweight skeleton and feathers. The killer instinct is also vital!

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