Eagle Nibbles On A Crunchy Treat From Its Owner's Mouth

Here we have a short video packed with a lot of heart and thought. We don't normally think of eagles as pets. Perhaps this eagle is a rescue animal? We also wonder how long the eagle has been living with people. Since it was a chick? That would certainly explain why it's so docile. There isn't a lot of information about where this took place, or why is the young man feeding the eagle in this way. Still, we can reasonably infer that a trusting relationship exists between this man and his bird.

The eagle approaches the situation cautiously by focusing on the treat, then it stretches its head exploratorily. With deft precision, the eagle picks off the tip of the cracker with its knife-like beak. We get a glimpse of the eagle as a conscientious friend, not just a selfish eating machine. It demonstrates a regard for the safety of the human at the other end of the snack.

Since time immemorial we people have been in a struggle, man versus nature; a contest we have perpetuated unquestioningly. This isn't to suggest humans originated the conflict. Our ancient predecessors probably did have to run and fight to prevent from being eaten by clawed and fanged predators in the wild. And so we groomed this notion that beasts of the wild have no mind, are purely savage, with but single intent: to survive at all cost.

Scenes such as this, and the many like it that could only come to light since the modern age of film have shaken the old “us and them” view of the wild kingdom. Birds of prey —raptors, are particularly interesting in this regard. The reason is they are self aware of their extremely sharp talons while nesting their young. Ospreys, for instance, have been observed to tucks their claws under their toes, when feeding chicks. In this way, the mother doesn't shred her own babies to pieces.

Unlike other birds, eagles don't regurgitate food to their young, but instead bring prey such as fish into the nest, breaking it into small pieces. The mother eagle doesn't necessarily look after the welfare of each chick, either. Some chicks are favored and get more food than their siblings, which may ultimately die of starvation and be cast out of the nest. Growing up an eagle is to be educated in the school of hard knocks. But for those that make it to adulthood, the reward of being top predator in the sky makes the struggle worth it. Although, for all its awareness and seeming tenderness of the humans who sometimes care for them, the eagle may still take lessons in the safety and welfare of it own kind.

The respect is mutual, and in the end the young man can't resist taking the last bite for himself. The eagle may be temporarily miffed, but it doesn't raise a fuss. Its needs are undoubtedly well tended to, and having been through this scenario before, knows it’s not the last cracker in the world.