Bald Eagle Battle Stops Traffic

Motorists traveling along South Tamiami Trail in Osprey were treated to an unusual sight recently when two bald eagles got into a midair battle overhead.

That battle ended when the pair crash landed in a muddy roadside ditch near the northbound lanes around 3 p.m. Nov. 6, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “The scene brought traffic to a screeching halt,” the agency’s Facebook page explained.

It also caught the attention of 16-year-old Meg van Deventer, who was a passenger in her mother’s car, returning home from a dental appointment. When Meg saw the birds go down, she told her mother help was needed.

“It must have been ‘eagle sense,’ because FWC biologist Michelle van Deventer was the driver (and mom)” in the car, FWC wrote. Michelle also happens to be the state’s bald eagle coordinator.

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Heeding her daughter’s request for help, Michelle pulled over and “jumped into action when she saw the winning eagle fly off and the other remain in the ditch,” FWC reported. “After falling into the muddy ditch and losing her shoes, Michelle worked with Wildlife Center of Venice (WCV) volunteers and Sarasota County Animal Services to secure the exhausted and stressed eagle.”

The male bald eagle was taken to the Venice clinic for an overnight stay, but was cleared for flight the next morning after it was determined he had no serious injuries.

Bald eagles, America’s national bird, are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The birds are found throughout Florida. To learn more about the species, visit FWC’s website.

Photo Credit: FWC Facebook