Eagles are majestic creatures. They are perfectly adapted to their environment and are at the top of the avian food chain. But have you ever wondered what eagles eat? Are eagles omnivores or strictly carnivorous?
Turns out that there is more nuance to this. While eagles are primarily carnivorous, they sometimes eat fruits, nuts, and plants. However, their primary diet includes fish, mammals, and other birds.
In this guide, we will take a deep dive into the dietary habits of these regal birds. By the end, you will know all about what an eagle eats and what it does to survive in the wild.
Are Eagles Omnivores or Carnivores?
Eagles are essentially carnivores. Which means they eat fish, crabs, rodents, snakes, squirrels, hares, and other animals. They are one of the most adept hunters in the sky.
That is why they are called apex predators. These raptors have massive talons and strong, powerful beaks designed to hunt animals and birds. Their beaks can also rip through the flesh. Everything about an Eagle screams carnivore.
However, eagles can adapt to their environment. If there is no food source from other animals, it can eat fruits and plants. Some eagles have been seen eating plants and fruits to survive.
Eagles are quite opportunistic. They will eat whatever they find around them. They are even known to scavenge, which is something vultures mostly do. Regardless, yes you might call an eagle an omnivore. But it really would be stretching it quite a bit.
They are carnivores, as no recorded species eat plants and fruits as their primary food source. Therefore, if an eagle finds meat or fish, it will always pick those over plants and fruits.
Why are Eagles Carnivores?
According to evolutionary biologists, birds evolved from reptiles. And their feathers have evolved from scales. The first birds started to evolve between 144 to 66 million years ago.
Here is a cool and interesting fact, birds used to have teeth. Yes, we know. It sounds very odd. But the evidence is clear for this based on fossil records. A bird group known as kites developed tens of millions of years ago.
And the very first eagles developed from early kites. Over millions of years, eagles have evolved to become apex predators. They are extremely efficient at hunting and are built to kill prey.
They have excellent vision and powerful talons and beaks, which makes them the top birds in the avian food chain. A large eagle has enough strength in one of its feet to break a human arm.
Being a carnivore also has its advantages. Carnivorous animals and birds do not need long intestines. Which means they can conserve energy. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
If an eagle cannot find food, it will soar for miles and even migrate. Without the ability to conserve energy, it will not be able to stay airborne for that long.
Can Eagles Eat Meat?
An eagle’s primary source of food is meat and fish. Eagles are expert hunters and hunt animals like rabbits, rodents, and other mammals. They even hunt and kill other birds. Sometimes they will kill birds of their species.
Since eagles are carnivorous, they have specific characteristics that allow them to hunt and eat meat. Firstly, their eyesight is phenomenal. Eagles have 20/5 vision, significantly better than humans with only 20/20 vision.
They can spot a rabbit from a mile away with their powerful vision. They use their eyesight to spot prey when soaring in the clouds. And we also add it is a majestic thing to witness. An eagle is perfectly adapted to hunt and eat meat.
Once they spot their prey, they swoop in and grab their prey with their massive talons. Their talons also have an immensely strong grip, rendering the prey they catch unable to move.
When they kill them, they dig into their flesh with their powerful beaks. Eagles use their talons to hold the prey in place and use their beaks to rip into their skin and flesh. Eagles truly are made for hunting.
What is the Most Common Prey for Eagles?
An eagle will mostly eat what is readily available to it. They are opportunistic carnivores. However, the primary food for bald eagles is fish. A study done about their eating habits showed that fish comprised 56% of their diet.
But they also love eating mammals like rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and even prairie dogs. Eagles typically prefer to eat larger prey if they cannot find fish. Sometimes they will also hunt and eat other birds – even other eagles.
Eagles prefer to kill prey that is not more than half their weight. Otherwise, they will have a tough time carrying the prey. An eagle can prey on 400 different species of animals.
What are Some Other Types of Food Eagles Eat?
Their diets depend on their environment and also the availability of food. If no food sources are readily available, eagles will scavenge for good or eat carrion.
You will hear wild stories of eagles flying off with pet dogs, cats, deer, and even babies. Even though eagles are powerful birds, large eagles like the Bald eagle can carry a maximum of 4 pounds.
Some eagles do sometimes prey on very small dogs and cats and small deer fawns. However, stories of them carrying babies and pets are pure hearsay. So, you do not need to worry about that at all.
They sometimes also prey on migrating ducks and geese. Especially ducklings or injured birds which make for an easy catch. However, eating carrots and scavenging are their secondary options.
Eagles will also eat leftover ice fisherman’s bait or reject catches if it finds them. Some eagles will also steal food from other birds!
What Kind of Food Do Eagles Avoid?
An eagle’s diet depends on its environment and how available prey is. However, there are some foods they avoid.
They will avoid food left out by humans that have been poisoned or contaminated. Apart from this, there are more types of food eagles avoid:
1. Very Large Animals
An eagle will typically avoid hunting prey that is much larger than it. Although it might be able to kill it, given the situation, it might not be able to carry it.
Eagles can carry about half their weight. Thus it will not target any animal that is too large to carry.
2. Rotten Food
They will also avoid food that is rotten or spoiled. An eagle’s taste buds are extremely sensitive. This sensitivity allows them to detect food that is rotten compared to fresh.
3. Animals That Pose Serious Threat
You will see an eagle take on all kinds of animals. However, when it comes to hunting, it will avoid certain prey animals.
Eagles will avoid animals that have strong defense mechanisms, like ones that have horns or spines. They do this to avoid getting injured.
If they hurt themselves trying to kill an animal, they might become severely injured or damage its wings. Which would mean it won’t be able to fly and hunt for food.
How Much Food Do Eagles Need to Survive?
Adult eagles need to eat about 2% to 4% of their body weight each day to survive, which comes to about 0.5 pounds of food. However, they only need to ingest this much food a few times a week.
Eagles have an expandable section in their esophagus called the crop. They store soft food in the crop. Eagles can survive off the food in their crop if they cannot find prey.
Moreover, how much food an eagle needs depends on its size, species, and environment. Smaller eagles typically hunt smaller prey or hunt for fish. Larger ones, on the other hand, will hunt bigger animals like deer.
Eagles are also pretty active birds with high metabolic rates. This means they need to eat regularly. However, once an eagle has eaten a meal, it does not need to eat again for a few days.
An eagle’s digestive system is also very efficient. After it has eaten its prey, it will regurgitate the fur and bones. This enables them to absorb all the nutrients from their meal efficiently.
What do Eagles do if Food is Scarce?
If an eagle cannot find enough prey to hunt, it might take several measures to survive. Even though they prefer to hunt and eat fresh food, they will scavenge or carrion when food is scarce.
They will often hunt for smaller animals like rodents and rabbits in areas where food is scarce. In extreme cases, an eagle will also migrate long distances in search of food.
Moreover, eagles can eat fruits, nuts, and plants too when very starved, even though they are carnivorous. But as we mentioned, it is not their primary diet. An eagle will also try to eat from people’s gardens if need be.
Conclusion
So, are eagles omnivores? Eagles are carnivorous birds of prey. Fish, mammals, reptiles, and other birds are their primary food sources. No known eagle species eat plants and fruits as their primary food, though.
They are perfectly adapted to hunt live animals thanks to their perfect eyesight and powerful beak and talons. However, sometimes an eagle might also scavenge for food and eat nuts, berries, and plants.
Since they are very opportunistic and can adapt to their environment, they will eat things it finds to survive.
