Police officers help tangled bald eagles in Apple Valley, Minnesota
Police officers helped two bald eagles in Apple Valley that were tangled together. (Apple Valley Police Department / FOX 9)
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Police officers in Apple Valley, Minnesota helped a pair of bald eagles Monday that were tangled together and unable to fly.
Capt. Nick Francis of the Apple Valley Police Department said a neighbor spotted the two eagles on the side 133rd Street east of Garden View Drive around 4 p.m. and called police.
When the community service officer arrived to where the eagles were located, he was not able to get close to them because they were jumping around and thrashing, Francis said. The eagles had gotten their talons tangled with each other.
Police officers helped two bald eagles in Apple Valley that were tangled together. (Apple Valley Police Departmen / FOX 9)
In a post on Twitter, the police department described it as “kind of like kids fighting—they just wanted to be separated.”
By the time Francis responded to the scene, the eagles were more docile.
“They seemed exhausted at that point,” he said.
The officers called the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the University of Minnesota Raptor Center, but did not hear back in time, so they came up with a plan to help separate the eagles.
Using their previous training regarding birds, they each grabbed a garment of clothing to put over the eagles’ heads, which according to Francis, keeps birds calm and puts them at ease so they are easier to handle.
However, as the officers were about to untangle them, the eagles struggled a bit more and came free on their own.
Both eagles appeared unharmed. They eventually flew off separately.
Francis said it is normal for eagles to fight in the area this time of year, often bringing their tussle near the ground, but they usually untangle themselves before reaching it. He suspects this pair did not get themselves untangled in time and ended up stuck together on the ground.
Francis said it took 20 minutes from when the officers got the call to when the eagles freed themselves, but he is not sure how long they were tangled together before the neighbor saw them.