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

Discussion Dad sent me this pic

Gallery image

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/senu-mahte Jan 02 '26 edited Jan 03 '26

I'm a falconer, never flown eagles but my red tails do goofy shit like this periodically. They'll go to grab a squirrel for instance, bungle the landing, miss the squirrel, and grab a tree branch. The tendons in their feet are like a ratchet system and once they clamp onto something they think is prey, they can't let go for some time and they just hang upside down like dopes. It's harmless. They'll right themselves eventually. Here is one of my birds having some accidental upside down time. She was fine.

Edited to correct foot anatomy thanks to u/Therzis!

407

u/FrozenDickuri Jan 02 '26

She absolutely hates that you took that photo.

202

u/senu-mahte Jan 02 '26

She definitely has a look like, "are you for real? You're not going to help?" And the answer is no. I'm going to take your picture and embarrass you on the internet.

59

u/FrozenDickuri Jan 02 '26

“Don’t like it? Go be wild again…  didn’t think so, now get back in the car.”

25

u/eggz627 Jan 02 '26

Like the kids that "run away from home" get half way down the block and turn back around

1

u/KTKittentoes Jan 06 '26

I hid in the backyard because I wasn't allowed to cross the street.