The bald eagle might be the national bird of the United States, but it is decidedly not a bird you want going face-to-face with your dog.
What's happening?
Stacy Goss and her husband, Jim, captured the stunning moment when a bald eagle perched on their patio furniture in Washington State and got into a staring contest with their golden retriever, Gnocchi.
Stacy shared the striking Instagram video, which had them aghast and Gnocchi alternating between growling and barking while cowering in fear. She captured a photo after spotting it and wrote: "I prayed it wouldn't fly away."
At the start of the video, though, the Gosses are astonished and say, "Wow" and "What the hell?" They openly wonder if the bald eagle wants to eat Gnocchi and if it could carry the pup away. Goss noted in the caption that their commentary was "half-joking."
The couple does notice the bald eagle has a tag, which likely comes from a wildlife agency tracking it. They wonder if the bald eagle is hurt and consider tossing out some steak to check.
Stacy did provide updates on the majestic bird after calling local authorities. Per her caption, she reported that they believed that it was "NOT hurt, likely ate a deer … and it makes them basically unable to fly for 24-48 hours."
From there, the Gosses did the right thing and allowed the bald eagle to enjoy its time undisturbed on their property. In a follow-up post, Stacy discovered the bird had finally left after about 24 hours and captured it flying above.
While this encounter ended happily, it is somewhat concerning to see the bird so close to humans. As humans live close to the marine shorelines and rivers where bald eagles in Washington take residence, it's important to give the birds a wide berth.
Why is bald eagle conservation important?
The renaissance for bald eagles is a fantastic development of the last half-century, as the bird was in dire straits in the 1970s.
Fortunately, conservationists successfully addressed major threats, such as the pesticide DDT and widespread habitat destruction, in the ensuing years. New threats like lead poisoning are worthy of our attention in preserving an iconic American bird and a valuable predator in the ecosystem.
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Definitely 👍 What's being done about bald eagle conservation?
According to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacey Act. Federally, they are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
When interactions occur with bald eagles, the most important thing to do is to give them their space and call the appropriate authorities.
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