American eagle collision at Duluth airport (sans jet engines)

[marmar]

Two adult bald eagles made an unplanned landing on the tarmac at the Duluth International Airport on Sunday.

The two birds had locked talons in mid-air and couldn’t get separated before they crashed to the concrete, said Randy Hanzal, a conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Both birds survived the fall but remained entangled.

“Their talons were embedded in each other very deeply,” Hanzal said. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/267085/

[malaise]

1. One word

Wow!

[Blue_Tires]

2. mating season?

[Brickbat]

4. And fighting season.

If an unattached male comes into a couple's territory, there can be a fight.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Smart title, you made me look

Bird fights can be nasty

[premium]

5. "You let go, no, you let go first,

ok, here's what we'll do, we'll both let go on the count of 3, 1, 2, oh shit................".

Magnificent birds.

[MineralMan]

6. I watched a story on this on the morning news.

One of the birds flew off from the truck that was transporting it. The other is being treated in the excellent raptor center here in the Twin Cities. With any luck, both birds will survive. Eagles are amazing critters, and we have lots of them to watch in Minnesota.

[CBGLuthier]

7. That picture makes a perfect metaphor for america today.

At each others throats until we crash on the pavement.

[Scuba]

8. +1

[DreamGypsy]

9. I witnessed a pair of eagles tangling recently...

...the first time I had seen it happen. There's a small lake nearby where I go to run. There are a few big maples and cottonwoods on the south side and forested hills on the north. The eagles nest in the hills and come down to fish from the trees. As I was running by a pair of eagles launched out high over the lake, swooping and diving around each other as though they were playing. Then one inverted as it flew up under the other - they locked and tumbled down probably 50 feet or so before separating. It was beautiful.

[MisterP]

10. good thing it wasn't my English budgie--he'd careen off the runway and go through five buildings

a la TAM Airlines Flight 3054