Jen Normand recently captured some photos of an eagle tearing apart a chicken. 

The photos were taken in southeast Manitoba, and Normand says the southeast is where she takes most of her wildlife photos. 

She says whenever she drives out of the southeast, she doesn’t come across nearly as much wildlife. 

“I drove West and I didn't really find much there. I was driving around for about five hours at this point, feeling a little bit hopeless,” she says. “I finally have a nice day to go, It's sunny, it's beautiful, but I did come across two eagles in the field, and that excited me, so I pull over and start snapping.” 

It didn’t take long before she discovered that the eagles were dining. 

An eagle on top of its dinner

“I did see two eagles there, and one usually stands by while the other is eating the chicken scraps that the farmers seem to throw out for them, I'm not really sure how that works.” 

She says one eagle was feasting on the chicken and the other one attempted to take it away for itself. 

“They had a little brawl, and one of them won and eventually took it up to a tree top.” 

Normand says the eagles had a couple of bystanders. 

There were magpies and ravens waiting for the leftovers. 

“It's just interesting to watch them because they're scared to go and try to take it, because the eagle will snap at them. Never have I seen them actually attack another bird, like a magpie or a raven or crow, but they definitely show them who's boss.” 

The eagle with other birds around the chicken

Normand says she can’t be sure on how that chicken ended up there, but she has an idea. 

“As far as I know, I think the farmers will throw out whatever chicken parts that they have and then that attracts all the wildlife. Because I've traveled to Ste. Anne area, I went out to the RM of McDonald over the weekend too and there wasn't much there either. But I came back home in our area, and sure enough, that's where I'm going to find everything, fox, coyotes, eagles, they're all there.” 

She notes that these photos are some of her best yet. 

“I bought a new camera. I want to buy the new lens with it, but that's almost 4 grand. So once I get enough money, I'd like to get that lens so I can get really good pictures.” 

 

With files from Carly Koop