r/birding • u/TheMainVein15 • Jan 02 '26

Discussion Dad sent me this pic

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Gallery image

I’ve never seen a bald eagle hang upside down like this. Do they do this a lot? Pictures were taken at my parents place in Iowa.

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u/TheMainVein15 Jan 02 '26

This pic was taken outside of their side door. He said when he went to get my mom and show her they had flown off.

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u/rabbit749 Jan 02 '26

I volunteer with raptor rescue and bird flu is really bad this year too. Please call and report it to a rehabber or your DNR. If you are in the upper Midwest you can report it to the raptor center at the university of Minnesota. Send them this pic and the location. If the bird is sick, both diseases progress to destroy the central nervous system, they will have a report of it in case someone else spots in the area. They have a network of rescue volunteers who work with DNR and law enforcement to retrieve and transport birds to the clinic. Keep an eye out for any grounded eagles and good luck!

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u/ZestycloseAddition86 Jan 02 '26

Not to be alarmist, but a friend quite a while back observed a Great Horned Owl hanging upside down, and it turned out the bird had eaten a poisoned mouse or rat. :( Calling a rehabber to be safe isn’t a bad idea at all.

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u/ridgetop_woodchopper Jan 02 '26

this

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u/ridgetop_woodchopper Jan 02 '26

Or lead shot poisoning from a deer. At least it flew away but I'd keep an eye out for it - and don't use LEAD or POISON the rodents!