We Love Animals
Animals Photography Wildlife

Clever Crow Spotted Hitching A Ride On Flying Bald Eagle’s Back

Okay, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to fly on the back of an eagle anyway? That idea just sounds so tempting and clearly this brilliant crow also thinks so. The mischievous critter was spotted enjoying a free ride on a bald eagle’s back and the funny thing is, that eagle itself did not seem to mind at all.

Image credits: Phoo Chan

Thankfully, talented California-based photographer Phoo Chan managed to capture that once-in-a-lifetime moment and shared it with the whole world.

Image credits: Phoo Chan

Explaining the crow’s unusual behavior, biologist Kevin McGowan – who specializes in crow behavior at the Cornell lab of Ornithology – states that it’s actually pretty normal for territorial birds like the crow to feel threaten and could even become extremely aggressive when a huge intruder shows up in their natural habitats. The reason behind such reaction could be the “Napoleon Complex” – a theorized inferiority complex that is often attributed to people of short stature.

Apparently, the angry crow did prepare for a fight. But for some reason, it simply had no idea what to do next after landing smoothly on the big bird.

Image credits: Phoo Chan

“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.”

According to McGowan, the bald eagle’s nonchalance is completely understandable either. As the largest predatory birds, eagles are always harassed by other birds and they actually don’t think of it as a big deal. Just like McGowan stresses, it just feels like they are “being followed by mosquitoes”.

Image credits: Phoo Chan

Chan, however, doesn’t seem to agree that the crow was trying to harass its “vehicle”.

“Crows are known for aggressively harassing other raptors that are much bigger in size when spotted in their territories and usually these “intruders” simply retreat without much fuss,” says the bird and nature photographer. “However, in this frame the crow did not seem to harass the bald eagle at such close proximity and neither did the bald eagle seem to mind the crow’s presence invading its personal space.”

Image credits: Phoo Chan

“What made it even more bizarre was that the crow even made a brief stop on the back of the eagle as if it was taking a free scenic ride and the eagle simply obliged,” he continues.

Please share these amusing photos with your friends and family!

H/T: National Geographic | Bored Panda

 

 

 

 

 

Related posts

Noisy And Curious, The Green Jay Is The Gossipy Neighbor That Makes Our Life Way More Interesting

Olivia

Wander Around Looking For Water, Dehydrated Baby Elephant Get Help In Time

Margot Nolan

Adorable Footage Of A Baby Polar Bear Cub Playing With Its Mother In Snow For The First Time

Margot Nolan

Baby Elephant Tries To Cross A Tree Trunk And Creates The Most Hilarious Fail In His Life

Daniel

10+ Proud And Prolific Fur-Moms Who Show Us Parent’s Happiness Comes From Their Children

Susanna

20+ Photos That Show Pets Always Get In Silly And Funny Accidents

Carolyn Mullet

Beautiful Pictures Of Polar Bears Frolicking In Flower Fields, Captured By Canadian Photographer

Margot Nolan

Touching Scene Of A Goose Keeping An Abandoned Puppy Warm In Cold Weather

Carolyn Mullet

It’s Real Life Lion King: Lion Dad Spotted Hugging His Cub Lovingly

Olivia

Daurian Redstart, A Striking Small Bird With A Silvery Gray Cap, A Black Face, And Orange Underparts

Margot Nolan

10+ Animals Who Seem To Be Mimicking Us

Carolyn Mullet

Grumpy Cat, The Internet Celebrity Cat Passed Away Peacefully At The Age Of Seven

Carolyn Mullet