Big birds easily get their way when it comes to food.
But what if it’s big birds against other big or bigger birds? The ravens and eagles show how it is done in this compilation of videos from BDN contributor Allie Ladd.
In this video, you can watch a bald eagle exert itself as king of the mountain on a pile of snow near an animal carcass, while the ravens try to steal pieces of food.
Another segment shows three immature bald eagles squaring off. Ladd said there were five bald and two golden eagles, plus a lot of ravens that wanted a piece of the deer carcass he had left them. They just had to work out which had priority.
A raven chases a vulture away from the animal carcass, then defends its territory against another raven in another part of the video.
The interactions between and within species are interesting to watch. Nothing is more primal than eating to survive, especially in the winter, when the stakes are likely the highest.
The good news for these birds is that they eventually worked it out.
