Nature is full of surprises. No matter how extensively it is studied, plants and animals continue to behave in manners that leave experts stunned, just as these birds in California did recently.
Earlier this month, ABC 7 News shared a heartwarming tale of this nature. In the clip below, they share the story of a bald eagle family and an orphaned baby red-tailed hawk that have become close companions in the San Francisco Bay area.
Wow, this is so touching! While it is not unheard of for animals to adopt orphaned wild animals into their family, it is unusual to see such a display between wild animals of different species, both of which are predators. The compassion this bald eagle is showing is truly inspiring!
The adoption was first noticed back in May by Gilroy wildlife photographer Doug Gillard, who caught the moment on camera. He assumed the baby hawk would become a meal for the eaglet in the nest, but he was proven wrong when the eagle began to care for the hawklet as one of her own.
“That’s like crazy, crazy rare,” Gillard said to NBC Bay Area News. “I’ve heard this is the fifth recorded case in history of this happening.”
Upon hearing this news, Avid birdwatcher Manny Vara was stunned the mother eagle was so careful with the baby hawk.
“The female had to go to a red-tailed nest and actually grab the chick very gently with those giant talons they have and bring it over here without killing it,” he said to the news station. “Usually, whenever they grab anything, they just sink their talons into it and kill it instantly.”
The father eagle was also very accepting of the baby and this family of four has been living in harmony ever since. Perhaps humans could learn a lesson or two from this mother eagle!
