Bald eagles are not exactly known for their speed, but they are very strong and capable of carrying prey twice their size. That’s good, because the average bald eagle is about 10 pounds, while the average human baby is closer to 10,000 grams.
We can do some math to figure out if a bald eagle would be able to lift a baby. Let’s say that the median human baby weighs 10 kg (22 lb). The median female bald eagle, meanwhile, weighs 4 kg (9 lb) and has a wingspan of about 2 meters (6 ft). Let’s also assume that when flying, the eagle is using about 20 percent of its muscles to stay aloft — though it may use more or less depending on how hard it’s beating its wings.
That means that an eagle could lift 1/5 of its own body weight while flying. If we multiply four by five, we get twenty. So a male bald eagle could probably lift a 20 kg (44 lb) object while flying. A female eagle would only be able to lift 8 kg (18 lb).
So in theory, an eagle might be able to fly with an infant in its talons … but not with an adult human!
Has an Eagle Ever Picked up a Baby?
This is one of the most common myths about eagles. Many people are convinced that eagles will snatch up babies and children, but the truth is that eagles have been known to attack adult animals such as goats, but not humans.
Around the world, there are almost 60 species of eagle, but none of them have ever been documented killing a human being. While some species do hunt animals weighing up to 20 pounds, they do not hunt humans at all. The eagles’ sharp talons and curved beaks are designed to help them catch fish and tear it apart. Eagles lack the strength to lift something heavier than themselves. They are also easily frightened by loud noises and sudden movements so they never attack humans at all.
Eagles can only fly with something lighter than two-thirds their weight due to their small wingspan and lightweight frame. Therefore, a human is much bigger than an eagle and it would be impossible for an eagle to pick up a baby or child because it simply cannot fly if it has anything heavier than two pounds in its claws.
What Happens if an Eagle Picks up Your Kid?
You have probably seen videos of eagles carrying their babies in their claws. Headlines about eagles picking up children are not as common. As it turns out, though, there are quite a few instances of the birds going after human infants and kids.
In the most recent case, which is from 2018, an eagle swooped down and grabbed a two-year-old boy in Whitehorse, Canada. The child’s mother was able to retrieve him without any injuries and he is fine.
So what happens if an eagle picks up your kid? Here are three instances of eagles going after children and what happened:
An eagle swooped down on five-year-old Jase Hyland in Washington state but his father protected him by jumping on top of the boy. The eagle flew off with the father’s hat still in its claws. The father suffered minor injuries and Jase was unharmed. This attack was not captured on camera but it is one of the more recent ones reported.
There’s no other option if you’re actually being attacked by an eagle. An eagle is extremely strong, and if one wants your child, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. This is not the time to become a hero or grab your baby back from a powerful bird of prey; you’ll only get yourself hurt. No, in this situation, you have to take a step back and ask yourself what’s best for your child over the long term.
What Bird Can Lift a Child?
There is a bird called a cassowary. It stands about 6 feet tall and can weigh up to 150 pounds. It also has talons as long as daggers and could easily disembowel a human with a single kick.
These “feathered dinosaurs” are native to New Guinea and Australia, but they were a prized food source for the indigenous people there, too. A chief who owned several hundred of them was considered wealthy, and they would be killed and eaten during special ceremonies.
One of the most interesting facts about the cassowary is that it is one of the most dangerous birds in the world. They are known to go after humans if their chicks are threatened. They have also been known to go after dogs, horses, even motorcycles!
If you’ve never seen one before, you might think that it looks like a giant with feathers on its head instead of a full face. They are very large birds with long legs, which makes them great runners. Their plumage is usually black and white.
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