Stealing of food items from another animal, or kleptoparasitism, has been well studied in bird species. Bald eagles are known kleptoparasites of other birds and occasionally other species, however kleptoparasitic interactions with mammals are relatively uncommon. We describe instances of bald eagles taking, or attempting to take, fish and mammal prey from three species of cetaceans (bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca)) and one species of pinniped (harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii)) on the east and west coast of the United States of America. We discuss possible drivers of this emerging behaviour, including bald eagle population increases, reductions in other prey abundance, and changes in prey choice (for harbour porpoises). Further research is needed to determine if this behaviour is opportunistic in nature, or a more common foraging strategy.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
Beckel, A.L. (1981). Interactions between Bald Eagles and North American River Otters. — Passenger Pigeon. 43: 3-4.
Brockmann, H.J. & Barnard, C.J. (1979). Kleptoparasitism by birds. — Anim. Behav. 27: 487-514.
Duffy-Echevarria, E.E., Connor, R.C. & St. Aubin, D.J. (2008). Observations of strand-feeding behavior by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bull Creek, South Carolina. — Mar. Mamm. Sci. 24(1): 202-206.
Dunstan, T.G. & Harper, J.F. (1975). Food habits of Bald Eagles in north-central Minnesota. — Wildlife Manage. 39: 140-143.
Elliser, C.R., MacIver, K.H. & Green, M. (2018). Group characteristics, site fidelity and photo-identification of harbor porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, in Burrows Pass, Fidalgo Island, Washington. — Mar. Mamm. Sci. 34(2): 365-384.
Elliser, C.R., Hessing, S., MacIver, K.H., Webber, M.A. & Keener, W. (2020). Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) catching and handling large fish on the U.S. West Coast. — Aquat. Mamm. 46(2): 191-199.
Fox, A.G. & Young, R.F. (2012). Foraging interactions between wading birds and strand-feeding bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in a coastal salt Marsh. — Can. J. Zool. 90: 744-752.
Gearin, P.J., Melin, S.R., Delong, R.L., Kajimura, H. & Johnson, M.A. (1994). Harbor porpoise interactions with a Chinook salmon set-net fishery in Washington State. Report of the International Whaling Commission. — International Whaling Commission, Impington, p. 427-438.
Grier, J.W., Gramlich, F.J., Mattsson, J., Mathisen, J.E., Kussman, J.V., Elder, J.B. & Green, N.F. (1983). The bald eagle in the northern United States. — Bird Conserv. 1: 46-66.
Grubb, T.C. (1971). Bald eagles stealing fish from common mergansers. — Auk 88: 928-929.
Hanke, F.D., Hanke, W., Scholtyssek, C. & Dehnhardt, G. (2009). Basic mechanisms in pinniped vision. — Exp. Brain Res. 199: 299-311.
Iyengar, E.V. (2008). Kleptoparasitic interactions throughout the animal kingdom and a re-evaluation, based on participant mobility, of the conditions promoting the evolution of kleptoparasitism. — Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 93: 745-762.
Jenkins, J.M. & Jackman, R.E. (1993). Mate and nest site fidelity in a resident population of Bald Eagles. — Condor 95(10): 53-1056.
Kushlan, J.A. (1978). Nonrigorous foraging by robbing egrets. — Ecology 59: 649-653.
Nichol, L.M., Hall, A.M., Ellis, G.M., Stredulinsky, E., Boogaards, M. & Ford, J.K. (2013). Dietary overlap and niche partitioning of sympatric harbour porpoises and Dall’s porpoises in the Salish Sea. — Progr. Oceanogr. 115: 202-210.
Retfalvi, L. (1970). Food of nesting bald eagles on San Juan Island, Washington. — Condor 72: 358-361.
Reynolds, J.F. (1977). Attempted food-piracy by gull billed terns. — Br. Birds 70: 392-393.
Rosen, M. (1975). Bald Eagle and River Otter. — Can. Field Nat. 89: 455.
SC SWAP (2015). Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Supplemental volume: species of conservation concern. — Available online at https://www.dnr.sc.gov/swap/species2015.html (accessed 14 February 2022).
Stalmaster, M.V. (1987). The Bald Eagle. — Universe Books, New York, NY.
Stinson, D.W., Watson, J.W. & McAllister, K.R. (2007). Washington State Status Report for the Bald Eagle. — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA, p. 86+viii.
Taylor, P. (1992). Bald eagles steal fish from river otters. — Blue Jay 50: 223-224.
Walker, W.A., Hanson, M.B., Baird, R.W. & Guenther, T.J. (1998). Food habits of the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, and Dall’s porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli, in the inland waters of British Columbia and Washington. — In: Alaska Fisheries Science Center Processed Report 98-10. Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA, p. 63-75.
Watt, J., Krausse, B. & Tinker, T.M. (1995). Bald eagles kleptoparasitizing sea otters at Amchitka Island, Alaska. — Condor 97: 588-590.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 1379 | 574 | 25 |
Full Text Views | 70 | 12 | 0 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 125 | 14 | 0 |
Stealing of food items from another animal, or kleptoparasitism, has been well studied in bird species. Bald eagles are known kleptoparasites of other birds and occasionally other species, however kleptoparasitic interactions with mammals are relatively uncommon. We describe instances of bald eagles taking, or attempting to take, fish and mammal prey from three species of cetaceans (bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca)) and one species of pinniped (harbour seal (Phoca vitulina richardii)) on the east and west coast of the United States of America. We discuss possible drivers of this emerging behaviour, including bald eagle population increases, reductions in other prey abundance, and changes in prey choice (for harbour porpoises). Further research is needed to determine if this behaviour is opportunistic in nature, or a more common foraging strategy.
All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
---|---|---|---|
Abstract Views | 1379 | 574 | 25 |
Full Text Views | 70 | 12 | 0 |
PDF Views & Downloads | 125 | 14 | 0 |