Adult Bald Eagle Bullies Juvenile

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Adult Bald Eagle Bullies Juvenile

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sourced by Keta

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Adult Bald Eagle Bullies Juvenile

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uploaded by Keta

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  uploaded by Keta | add comment

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  uploaded by Keta | add comment

Further to my series of the juvenile bald eagles and adult interacting at the sand bar during low tide in Spanish Banks (Vancouver). This time the juvenile is able to start eating his lovely fish, when I see him look up sharply.

In swoops an adult, with a bit of crying and calling between them, then the adult lands almost on top of the juvenile! (see my first uploaded image for the play-by-play). The juvenile wisely flies away a small distance, protesting all the while.

The adult just sits there beside the fish, not making the slightest move to eat. Probably it was full (the fish are plentiful during the outgoing tide, which is why I am able to capture so much eagle activity). I'm just not sure why it would insist on dominating the juvenile; some form of wildlife hierarchy?

Perhaps its because the eagle is a top predator, with nothing - except humans - to threaten it, perhaps the adults make the juveniles go through rigourous training in order to prepare them for life in the wild? Otherwise, from what I've seen over at Spanish Banks, life is like a day at the beach for them. All they have to do is fly from the trees to the water and they can have all the food they want.

I don't pretend to understand the dynamic, but it makes for some really fascinating footage.