EAGLE VS. RACCOON

Nature’s way can be savage, as evidenced by a raccoon attack on an eagle nest within Pittsburgh city limits, monitored by a high-tech video camera.

Wednesday night a raccoon invaded a bald eagle nest on a hillside overlooking the Monongahela River in Hays and tried to snatch three incubating eggs. In a dramatic video clip, the female eagle appears to be sleeping, then reacts to an apparent sound. The young raccoon, substantially smaller than the adult eagle, crawls into the nest. As the screech and rumble of a passing locomotive rises in volume, the eagle turns, backs up a step, spreads her wings and attacks, driving the raccoon over the edge and away from the nest. Despite the brief skirmish, neither the eggs, the eagle nor raccoon appeared to be damaged.

The eagle eggs may be the best food available on the hill. Thursday a hawk or immature bald eagle made two passes on the nest attempting to get to the eggs.

The camera was donated and maintained by the Murrysville-based PixController video surveillance company in partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and with help from a few technical and communications companies.

The live feed and eagle-raccoon video clip can be accessed via www.post-gazette.com/ sports/outdoors.

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