Watch Three Huge Eagles Launch a Relentless Aerial Attack on Kangaroo

Written by Sharon Parry
Updated: October 22, 2023
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This trio of wedge-tailed eagles have decided to target a lone kangaroo and are not about to give up in a hurry. They swoop down several times and try to grab hold of its head – even though the brave kangaroo fights back. The kangaroo eventually escaped but it was a startling encounter. Watch the full video of this brazen attack.

Watch the Fascinating Footage Below

How to Spot a Wedge-Tailed Eagle

Largest Eagles in the World: Wedge-tailed Eagle

Wedge-tailed eagles hunt kangaroos in pairs or threes

©Terry Dell/Shutterstock.com

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They are big! These guys are listed in the top 10 largest eagles in the world and can have a wingspan of seven and a half feet. They are the largest bird of prey in Australia but also live in southern New Guinea. These birds get their name from their long, wedge-shaped tail and have feathers down to the base of their toes.

The color of their feathers changes as they get older. As young birds, they are mid-brown with reddish-brown heads and wings. Over the next ten years, they become darker and adults are usually a dark blackish-brown. As for the rest of their body – their bill is pale pink or cream, their eyes are brown and their feet are off-white.

What Do Wedge-Tailed Eagles Eat?

kangaroo on the beach

These eagles will target small kangaroos as well as carrion.

©John Crux/Shutterstock.com

So, were these birds planning on feasting on this kangaroo? It is possible as we know that they will target small kangaroos and can carry off prey that is half their body weight. Also, they tend to join with other eagles to target larger prey and that is what is happening here. However, this kangaroo may have been a bit too large. The other explanation would be that they were warning it away from a nest.

Usually, these birds eat carrion – the carcasses of animals that are already dead. Having said that, they can also catch live prey. They tend to target smaller mammals such as rabbits and hares. Lizards and small birds are also on the menu as are lambs from local farms and this makes them unpopular with farmers!

Is it Normal For Eagles to Attack Kangaroos?

Are Marsupials Mammals

Natural predators for kangaroos include, eagles, dingeos, humans, and tasmanian tigers.

©Benny Marty/Shutterstock.com

The short answer here is yes! Bald eagles are considered birds of prey which means that it’s common for them to eat small mammals such as rabbits.

However, there have been recorded sightings of eagles attacking larger mammals like koalas and even kangaroos. The Dynatoaetus gaffae eagle has huge talons that can snatch up larger prey. This massive bird of prey is the largest continental eagle in the world today.

While kangaroos don’t actively fear eagles, their more natural predators include:

  • Dingoes
  • Humans
  • Tasmanian Tigers.

How Big Do Wedge-Tailed Eagles Get?

wedge-tailed eagle

©Katie Stevens Photography/Shutterstock.com

The wedge-tailed eagle is native to Australia, including the island of Tasmania, and southern New Guinea, and like many species, the females are larger than the males. This raptor has a maximum reported wingspan of 9 ft 4 in and a length of up to 3 ft 6 in. The largest wingspan ever verified was for a wedge-tailed eagle killed in Tasmania in 1931. This female had a wingspan of 9 ft 4 in.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Susan Flashman/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Dr Sharon Parry is a writer at A-Z animals where her primary focus is on dogs, animal behavior, and research. Sharon holds a PhD from Leeds University, UK which she earned in 1998 and has been working as a science writer for the last 15 years. A resident of Wales, UK, Sharon loves taking care of her spaniel named Dexter and hiking around coastlines and mountains.

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