BRIDGTON (WGME) – For the first time ever recorded, an adult loon attacked and killed a bald eagle, all to protect its chick.
Last year, on Highland Lake in Bridgton, a kayaker found the bodies of a bald eagle and a loon chick floating in the water.
Danielle D’Auria is a biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and she’s never seen an eagle killed by its prey.
“There’s not a lot of other animals that are very successful at killing eagles,” D’Auria said.
She says eagles are opportunists, eating anything that comes their way.
“Eagles will often attack adult loons, as well as their chicks, and so it’s pretty rare for the loon to actually succeed in actually killing the eagle,” D’Auria said.
She first thought the eagle had been shot, but further research suggests a loon stabbed it in the heart trying to protect her young.
“They actually took some measurements of that when they examined it, and found that it was very consistent of the size and shape of a loon’s bill,” D’Auria said.
In recent years, Maine has seen an increase in the eagle population, putting pressure on loons.
“We’ve been starting to monitor more closely how eagles and loons are interacting on the landscape,” D’Auria said.
She says loons shouldn’t be underestimated, since they’re great defenders.
“They will fight over that territory, and one of the ways they do that is they dive down into the water and come straight up with that dagger-like bill towards the chest,” D’Auria said.
The loon biologist says it’s this time of year when loons begin to nest, and if you come across them, give them space, since they will attack if threatened.