Meals are not guaranteed in the wild where, at any moment, a rival animal might lay down a challenge and try to steal a few mouthfuls for themselves.
Many meat-eating animals will try to score a free meal this way, with the most famous amongst these being hyenas and vultures, like the flock of birds that was troubling this martial eagle.
Sarah Gonzales spotted this eagle keeping a close eye on its meal on the H1-2 road in the Kruger National Park, and caught its tense defense on camera, sending the footage to Latest Sightings.
Big Old Bird
The eagle’s contrast with its prey revealed its size to be truly impressive. It could just have been a small impala, and it was all a matter of relativity, but the eagle looked like it would have been able to use its wings to drag the impala along the ground if it needed to.
It was jealously guarding the carcass from any other animals looking to steal it, and using its sharp beak to tear portions of meat away from the impala for itself to swallow.
It’s unknown if this martial eagle had brought down the impala by itself. If it was a young impala then it was possible that the eagle had used its sharp talons to drive away any protective adults before working to bring down its prey.
Unwanted Interest
Despite crouching low over the carcass and trying to cover it with its wings, the eagle could not escape the supervision of several vultures circling high in the air that had spotted a potential meal.
The number of vultures in the sky multiplied quickly as the high soaring birds spotted the opportunity for food, and eventually the situation became untenable for the eagle.
When the vultures swooped down they would come in enough numbers that the eagle wouldn’t even be able to reach its food, let alone eat any of it, and while it might have been able to scare away one or two vultures, it couldn’t be everywhere at once.
See More Of Your Interests
This eagle saw the threat coming from the vultures quickly, and you can see the most recent sightings just as quickly by joining our WhatsApp group below. Sign up now to see these incredible sightings as they happen!
An Unstoppable Swoop
The eagle had wisely cleared out of the way shortly before the vultures descended for the carcass, and when the carrion birds came down they came in enough numbers to completely shield the impala and surrounding area from view.
In a matter of moments the birds had covered the impala in a heaving mat of feathers and beaks as they battled and shouldered each other aside to get a morsel of meat for themselves.
Some of the vultures couldn’t even land close enough to join the meal and flapped frustratedly over the heads of their fellows, only to be ignored by the birds that were busy eating their fill.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Consistency Is Key
The vultures pecked and tore at the impala carcass for some time, until each of them had eaten enough to fill its stomach and move on. Once the hungry birds had left, the martial eagle reappeared to continue eating the impala’s meat for itself.
These incredible birds often have detrimental run ins with humans, so for this eagle to have the opportunity to continue eating relatively safely was important for its survival.
