Pics of a Golden Eagle Attacking a Full-Grown Deer

Deer Attacks Eagle

Eric Walters, a 46-year-old IT worker for Discover Card, took his camera to an Illinois nature reserve, hoping to spot a prairie falcon reportedly seen in the area. What he snapped instead has excited the wildlife community to no end: A golden eagle attacking an adult, white-tail deer!

Experts say that while the incident is extremely rare, it isn't unheard of -- it largely depends on how scarce food is. Rodents and small mammals tend to comprise the brunt of golden eagles' diets according to experts, but they are known to attack larger creatures like mountain sheep, coyotes, even caribou.

Like the prairie falcon, the golden eagle is a rare sight -- especially in Illinois -- and one attacking prey as large as an adult deer is rarer still. While Walters missed the prairie falcon, he managed to get what many consider the pictures of a lifetime. The entire attack lasted about 35 seconds and Walters captured at least three good pics.

This is particularly interesting to cryptozoologists because of the phenomenon known as "Thunderbirds." Thunderbirds are said to be oversized avians, sometimes believed to be creatures unknown to science or possibly animals thought extinct, which have been reported to attack humans -- notably children.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010