You'll Never Guess What New York Animal Gets Eaten By Eagles

Just when you think you've seen everything, images of an eagle x-ray hit the internet.

Bald eagles are not only our national bird, but they are one of the prides of New York State (see some of the best places to spot them here). We weren't always so lucky.

Bald Eagle Populations in New York

Bald eagles have made a huge comeback in New York. Thanks to the ban of chemicals like DDT, populations have increased across the country, and in states like New York, the species' status has been downgraded from "endangered" to "threatened". But recently, one eagle was threatened for an entirely different reason.

This bald eagle was released back into the wild after it was examined for injuries (Wilson's Creek National Battlefield via Facebook)

Reports of an Injured Bald Eagle

The National Parks Service (NPS) shared that a concerned citizen had reported an eagle that was unable to fly, leading them to believe that the majestic bird was injured. Upon further inspection, however, the problem was revealed to be far less serious... and even a little funny.

An eagle was believed to be injured and unable to fly until x-rays revealed a much less dire diagnosis (Wilson's Creek National Battlefield via Facebook)

A Bald Eagle Was "Too Fat to Fly"

"The bird, originally reported to be injured, was found to be healthy but engorged with racoon --- in other words, too fat to fly", the NPS shared. X-rays (below) show what officials believe to be an actual racoon foot inside the eagle's stomach.

X-rays of a bald eagle reveal what looks to be a racoon foot in their stomach (Wilson's Creek National Battlefield via Facebook)

The working theory from the NPS is that the eagle enjoyed too much racoon roadkill, leading its stomach to be distended and their body heavy (and non-aerodynamic) enough to make flight impossible. Luckily, rehabilitators were able to release the bird safely once its meal was properly digested.

Do Bald Eagles Really Eat Racoons?

New Yorkers wouldn't be blamed if they were surprised to learn about a bald eagle's appetite for racoon. While an eagle's diet mostly focuses on fish, they have also been known to eat small mammals and reptiles like rabbits, snakes, turtles, and even racoons (below)

While there are many options to spot bald eagles in the Hudson Valley, the Hudson River might be the most photogenic location. Check out what happens when a group of eagles decide to go fishing together below.