Mrs. T responded to a mouse in the house with an impressive wing whap! The merry maid was foraging for leftovers this morning when Mrs. T reacted to – from her perspective – an unknown threat. She snapped her wings wide and the mouse quickly dove into the nest’s understory, escaping her wrath. Startled wide awake, she remained incredibly still for a minute or two before relaxing. Not long afterwards, she joined Mr. T on a limb and the two vocalized before he flew in for his morning shift.
Bald Eagles don’t hunt mice, but they will eat them, especially if the mice are foolish enough to approach following a warning. However, the danger posed by eagles is relatively minimal compared to threats like owls, coyotes, and cats, all of whom prey on mice. The nest provides food and a relatively safe haven…as long as you respect its owners! Curious about what Bald Eagles eat? Take a look at what’s on the menu (hint – it involves a lot of fish): https://www.raptorresource.org/tag/menu/
Are mice a threat to Bald Eagle eggs? No. They might be able to damage very small eggs, but their mouths don’t have a wide enough gape to get leverage on an egg the size of an eagle’s. Hatch watch at Trempealeau starts on Tuesday, April 9: https://www.raptorresource.org/trempealeau-eagles/
The Raptor Resource Project