Watch a Bald Eagle Attack a Grizzly Bear in This Shocking Video

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Grizzly bears are definitely not animals you ever want to mess with, no matter how large or skilled you are. These massive mammals are powerful and dangerous, but this video from the Bill Shawler YouTube channel captured something quite surprising: a bald eagle suddenly swooping in and attacking a grizzly from behind! What in the world would make a bird attack something so much bigger than itself?

Are Bald Eagles and Grizzly Bears Friends or Enemies?

Grizzly bears and bald eagles are both native to North America and often share the same habitats. Grizzlies are found in western Canada, Alaska, and a few western U.S. states. Bald eagles have a much larger range, spreading across most of the United States and breeding in Canada. While both animals enjoy a tasty salmon dinner, they don’t usually compete directly for food.

Grizzly bears are massive creatures, standing over 3 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 860 pounds. Bald eagles have an impressive 8-foot-long wingspan but only weigh around 14 pounds at most. These two species generally keep to themselves and likely don’t think much about each other. However, if one wanders into the other’s territory, things can get pretty tense.

A Surprisingly Bold Bald Eagle

In the video above, a grizzly bear is strolling through the forest, seemingly minding its own business, when a big bald eagle swoops in and suddenly attacks it from behind. But why would an eagle go after a bear that wasn’t bothering it in the first place?

Most likely, the bald eagle is a new parent protecting its nest. During nesting season, bald eagles become extremely territorial and will even fight other eagles to the death to defend their nesting area. Even though the bear looked like it was just passing by, it must have gotten a bit too close to the eagle’s nest. Nesting eagles tend to be extra cautious and often preemptively strike to prevent another animal from harming their young or their nest.

While bald eagles don’t usually go after bears, this kind of thing also isn’t unheard of. They’re bound to defend their territory against all kinds of other animals, including bears and even humans. In 2024, for example, Alaska’s Kodiak Island experienced a handful of unexpected attacks on humans that required stitches. Unalaska, on the other hand, is practically the bald eagle capital of the United States. Even though there’s plenty of food in the area, space is limited, and these birds will do almost anything to protect their young.

How Dangerous Are Bald Eagles?

Although bald eagles aren’t usually super aggressive, they have some serious features that make them dangerous, including their sharp beaks and talons. Each foot has four powerful talons that are strong and very sharp. Three talons point forward, and one  — the “hallux”  — points backward. The hallux is the most important and strongest, functioning like a human thumb to help the eagle grab and hold onto its prey. Bald eagles have seriously impressive grip strength, with a pressure per square inch (psi) ranging from 700 to 1,000!

In addition, while bald eagles typically fly 35 to 43 mph, during a dive-bomb attack their speed can reach 99 mph! With that kind of power packed into a single dive bomb, a bald eagle flying at full speed could easily injure or kill another animal. Fortunately, these kinds of attacks are very rare, since bald eagles usually hunt prey that’s still or moving slowly.