Do Eagles Eat Pigeons? Your Pigeons Are at a Risk!
Eagles are violent birds, whereas a pigeon is peaceful all the time. To feed your trained eagle or to protect your pigeons, you need to know if eagles like to take pigeons in their meal.
So, do eagles eat pigeons? Yes, golden eagles mostly eat rock pigeons. If the eagle gets an opportunity to catch a pigeon, it will not miss it. But to catch a pigeon, the eagle has to lose a lot of energy and keep patience.
However, while it is easy to catch a pigeon from the land suddenly, catching a flying pigeon is quite difficult. That’s not the end. You will be able to know the other birds which attack the pigeons most and the eating habits of eagles.
Do Eagles Eat Pigeons?
Yes. Eagles eat pigeons. But this is not a common case. They are not used to hunting pigeons. You could barely find a view of eagles eating pigeons. They will eat pigeons happily if you allow them to eat to balance the ecological system.
Some countries use trained eagles to minimize the number of pigeons or as pest control. So there is no chance to say that eagles do not eat pigeons. In some countries of Asia, hunting pigeons with the help of the eagle is a familiar sight.
However, the people who earn money from pigeons take steps to protect them from other birds which prey on pigeons. They apply some techniques that can save their pigeons. They do not permit their pigeons to fly high and keep an eye on them while feeding.
Why Do Eagle Hunts Pigeons Less?
To hunt a pigeon, eagles need to waste more calories and energy. To catch a running pigeon it has to fly a long way. Then if they finally catch it, they have to fly high as their nest is on a high level. Finally they get a small amount of energy from the pigeon as it is a small bird. The total energy it gains is not the same as it loses. It gets fewer calories. So, the net output is greater than the net input. For that reason it can be said that a pigeon can not fulfill an eagle’s hunger and daily requirement.
On the other hand, a pigeon can run at a greater speed than an eagle. An eagle can fly at 90 kilometers per hour. In contrast, a pigeon can fly at 130 kilometers per hour. So, it is quite easy for a pigeon to escape from the eagles. For that reason, eagles attack flying pigeons less.
Accordingly, they select the pigeon if the eagle has no other options. Also, the availability of pigeons is a factor to choose from.
When the pigeon eats with carelessness, that is the best time to attack them. The eagle has to wait for a long time to get that opportunity.
What Type Of Eagles Eat Pigeons most?
Not all eagles like to eat pigeons. There are many types, including Harpy eagles, Blade eagles, Golden eagles, Sea eagles, etc. The Sea eagle will not choose a pigeon over a fish. If it finds any dead fish floating, it will immediately pick it up rather than running after a pigeon.
There is a similarity in Blade eagles, Harpy eagles, and Golden eagles’ eating habits. Harpy eagles like to eat a heavy meal. For that, they hunt squirrels, monkeys, and sloths. These eagles hunt pigeons very rarely. The Blade eagle eats the same as Harpy in addition to ducks, rabbits, and muskrats.
In the life cycle of the Golden Eagle, it also eats all those animals. But they tend to catch the birds also. Rock pigeons are mostly hunted by this type of eagle.
So, though eagles eat pigeons, they do it rarely. Pigeons are not on their list of priorities. Instead, they catch other animals which can fulfill their hunger.
Watch this video of eagles eating pigeons.
How Eagle Hunts the Pigeons?
Eagles like to eat their meal violently. Sometimes they do not kill the animal properly and start eating, which is painful for the victim.
- Eagles hunt with the help of feet which are quite larger
- They feel comfortable catching their meal from the land, not in a flying condition
- When it gets an opportunity, it grabs the animal in the blink of an eye
- At that point, if any danger is not nearby, they start pricking the feathers of the bird
- Then crush it while flying and try to kill it before reaching the destination
- Then tear it into parts and rest for a while
Once a bird gets caught by the eagle, it is almost impossible to fight it. They are quite large, and for a strong body structure, they rarely miss their target meal.
What Does an Eagle Eat in General?
Eagles try to eat animals which can give them more energy, and they also are easy to catch. A sudden attack by an eagle does not give scope to escape the animals.
The adult golden eagle migrates while they get mature. They find a place where animals like squirrels, rabbits, or monkeys are available. But it is not an easy task to kill them. It frequently pecks the animal and tears it to kill it. In that condition, the animal has no option but to surrender itself.
If you’re curious about your pigeon’s diet, you might be interested in our articles on whether pigeons eat plants and whether they eat other bird’s eggs. Our article on pigeon eating habits explores whether or not pigeons consume plants, and if so, which ones. Meanwhile, our article on pigeon egg eating habits delves into the behavior of pigeons when it comes to consuming other birds’ eggs. So, if you want to learn more about your pigeon’s dietary habits, check out these informative articles to get a better understanding of what they eat.FAQs
These are some frequently asked questions by people about eagles.
Yes, eagles eat eagles. Though they belong to the same species, they attack each other. While there is less availability of food, they do this type of occurrence for survival.
Black bears, bobcats, and foxes are the natural enemy of an eagle. They can hunt the baby or small-sized eagles. Adult eagles have fewer enemies and are hard to overcome.
Falcons, hawks, and goshawks also eat pigeons. Even a falcon can catch a flying pigeon. Also, owls eat pigeons. The owl will never let the pigeon go if it gets an opportunity.
An eagle can lift a baby dog for a while. It can take some time but not for a long time. If its nest is nearby, it can be carried to its destination.
Conclusion
So, when the question comes about whether eagles eat pigeons, eating a pigeon is an uncommon sight, but they do. Mainly golden eagles hunt pigeons when they find no option left. The rock pigeons are mostly hunted by eagles. To balance the ecological system, sometimes, the pigeons are served to the eagle.
But while prey, eagles have to lose a lot of energy to catch a pigeon. If an eagle gets an opportunity to catch a monkey or rabbit, it will never hunt the pigeon. Also, it is easier to catch the animals than a pigeon and also gets more food value. So, though they eat pigeons, it is not on their priority list.
