A bald eagle hunts a duck on Skaha Lake in Penticton.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Courtney Robinson
July 21, 2024 - 7:00 AM
A hungry bald eagle was spotted circling and diving for a lone duck paddling on the calm waters on Skaha Lake in Penticton on a beautiful blue-sky morning on July 16, drawing a small crowd of onlookers.
“To watch the eagle hunting in real time was exciting and fascinating,” said Summerland wildlife photographer Courtney Robinson who caught the moment at Skaha Beach on Skaha Lake Road in Penticton on video.
“Everyone around stopped to watch in anticipation.”
The eagle could be heard squawking as its attempts to catch its prey repeatedly fell short when the duck bobbed under the water to evade capture. The sounds of wings flapping and the slapping of lake waves can be heard in the background.
“It’s like being in National Geographic in real time,” Robinson said. “Unfortunately, the eagle was unsuccessful in this hunt.”
The bald eagle is one of Canada’s largest birds of prey with a wingspan of more than two metres, according to Canadian Geographic.
The majestic looking bird is known by the white feathers on its head that gives it a bald appearance, hooked yellow beaks and large talons.
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While the primary food source for the eagles is fish, they will also eat other small animals including mammals, birds, crustaceans and reptiles.
The birds are skilled at swooping down to pick prey out of the water, but in this case, the duck got away.
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