While their neighbours complained, these two eagles engaged in a vicious dispute. That is, until one of them decides fighting is for the birds.
Gail Hertz submitted this intense footage to Latest Sightings. She filmed it while on a game drive in South Africa.
An eagle has landed
As we join the action, we see an eagle standing on the bank of a waterhole. Lying alongside it, we see a blur of movement.
The eagle is a tawny eagle, a common resident in many reserves across Africa. It bears mentioning, though, that the IUCN classifies the bird as vulnerable, mainly due to eating poisoned carrion.
Fighting eagles
Subsequently, a second eagle, also a tawny, raises its head alongside the first. As it soon becomes apparent, the pair are engaged in combat.
As the eagles are both adults, the most likely reason for the dispute is over territory. It may also be a parent attempting to drive a grown chick from its range.
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Noisy neighbours
As the two continue to battle, a blacksmith lapwing flies by, apparently also determined to defend its territory.
Unsurprisingly, the eagles are too preoccupied with one another to notice.
Flipped
Subsequently, the battle heats up as the eagle on the right battles to keep its opponent pinned down.
However, somehow the eagle below manages to flip the other bird over. As it does so, we see the birds have locked their talons together.
When eagles engage in aerial combat, they often lock talons and spiral to the ground. Accordingly, we can presume this is how they ended up in the position they are.
Consequently, the once-dominant bird is flipped onto its back, giving the other the chance to avenge its earlier humiliation.
Seizing the opportunity, the eagle looms over its cowering adversary.
Wings spread aggressively
As it does, it spreads its wings wide, possibly to help keep its balance.
Alternatively, it is mantling. This is a tactic raptors use both to intimidate rivals and shield food from view.
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Restrained violence
As its rival thrashes beneath it, the eagle tries biting the other bird. But both are wary of being bitten while snapping at one another.
For either bird, an injury, especially to their wings, could be a death sentence. Thankfully, for the most part, these battles are more about showing strength than actually causing harm.
Nevertheless, when the lower bird manages to topple the other eagle, it is apparent they’re both taking quite a beating.
That was too close
Especially when they rise again, and the eagle on the right nearly hooks its beak into its opponent’s eye. This too could have devastating consequences for a bird that relies so heavily on its acute eyesight to hunt.
Perhaps for this reason, as soon as the pair are separated for a moment, one of them decides that enough is enough.
With that, it launches itself into the air and flies off. Knowing when to give up is as vital a survival skill as defending one’s territory.
With its rival defeated, the remaining eagle takes a moment to catch its breath. As far as we can tell, both birds escaped without injury, free to roam the skies over Africa once more.