See This Eagle Throw a Mountain Goat off a Cliff in Complete Dominance

Written by Angie Menjivar
Updated: March 5, 2023
© iStock.com/Kyslynskyy
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Continue Reading To See This Amazing Video

Eagles are the largest birds found on the planet and you may not be able to appreciate their size until you see another animal in comparison. The video at the bottom of this page gives you a look at just how enormous these raptors are — and how cruel they can get when hunting.

What Animals Do Eagles Hunt?

With incredible vision and the advantage of a sneaky, straight-out-of-the-sky attack, eagles can feast on a variety of animals. They’re carnivores, have a preference for live prey, and they’re incredibly opportunistic. They may hunt rodents, fish, snakes, and small mammals. They often perch themselves up high in search for food sources. By the time they swoop in, it’s too late for their prey. Along with fish and mice, eagles also grab rabbits and squirrels. They’ve even gotten hold of pets like cats and small dogs. However, since they’re opportunistic, if they can feast on a whole goat, they will.

How Do Goats Protect Themselves?

Goats indulge in plants instead of meat and their best defense in a critical situation is to get away from the danger. However, if they have no place to go, they may charge toward a predator. They use their horns and stomp their feet in hopes of intimidating their opponents. Usually, goats live in herds, which is another way to protect themselves. They don’t have many defenses and when they’re alone without a way to escape, they are likely to fall prey to ruthless predators.

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Alpine Goat standing among rocks in the mountain.
A lone goat stands among rocks in the mountain.

©dsaprin/Shutterstock.com

Eagle Uses Gravity to Hunt Goat

The clip below is as awe-inspiring as it is brutal. When it starts, you get an up-close look at an eagle and then one at a goat. The goat is alone on a mountain, traversing some rocky terrain. The eagle swoops in, it’s massive wings flapping slowly and you realize how massive these raptors are in comparison to the size of the goat. This is large prey for an eagle and instead of trying to kill it, it uses the force of gravity to kill for it.

The eagle uses its talons to grab the goat’s legs and throw it off the mountain. The goat doesn’t stand a chance and within seconds, it’s freefalling. It lands at the bottom of the mountain, rolls several feet down, surely breaking every bone in its body before it lifelessly makes it to a complete halt. The eagle swoops in almost immediately, ready to feast on the meat it’s cleverly and mercilessly tenderized.

Watch an eagle use the force of gravity while hunting.

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Portrait of a steppe eagle.Portrait of a steppe eagle.
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About the Author

Angie is a writer with over 10 years of experience developing content for product and brand reviews, focusing much of her time on animals of all types. A cat owner herself, she enjoys writing articles on beloved pets that both inform and entertain her audience.

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