A ride on the back of an eagle! It will indeed be a wonderful experience. Although we didn’t get the chance to enjoy it, we can see how this crow is enjoying it to the fullest.
Phoo Chan, a talented photographer based in California, spotted the mischievous animal enjoying a free ride on the back of a bald eagle. But luckily, he managed to capture this once-in-a-lifetime fun moment and share it with the whole world.
Biologist Kevin McGowan, an expert on crow behavior at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, says it’s common for terrestrial birds like crows to feel threatened and can become extremely aggressive when a large intruder arrives. He further posited that the reason behind such a reaction could be the “Napoleon complex”, a theoretical inferiority complex often attributed to people of short stature.
The angry crow seemed to be preparing for a fight, but for some reason, he had no idea what to do next after landing smoothly on the large bird.
“This would be kind of like a dog chasing a car and jumping up on it,” says McGowan. “Dogs always want to catch the car, but they never know what they’d do if they get it.”
The bald eagle’s reluctance is completely understandable. McGowan says that, as the largest birds of prey, eagles are constantly harassed by other birds and don’t really think it’s a big deal. They feel “followed by mosquitoes.”
But the crow does not interfere with his vehicle!
“Crows are known for aggressively harassing other raptors that are larger in size when seen in their territories. Usually these “invaders” simply retreat without much fuss,” says the bird and nature photographer. ” However, in this frame, the crow did not appear to harass the bald eagle so closely, and the bald eagle did not mind the crow’s presence invading its personal space.”
“What made it even more absurd was that the crow took a short ride on the eagle’s back as if it was taking a free scenic ride and the eagle simply obliged,” he adds.
So, if you enjoyed this wonderful opportunity, don’t forget to share it with your friends!
