Bald eagles are typically known for their elegant flying, skilled hunting and having such majestic strength and beauty that they became the U.S. national bird. But they also possess a lesser-known talent: swimming.
Yes, bald eagles are really good at swimming, a fact some of us learned this week from a viral video published by New Hampshire TV station WMUR.
In it, a bald eagle's white head bobs rhythmically through the water. Occasionally a wing can be seen as the bird does an avian equivalent of the butterfly stroke. It moves quickly and gracefully through the water, covering a considerable distance before it reaches the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. It calmly strides onto land, shaking the water from its feathers before it strikes a watchful, picturesque pose.
The video was shot by Tyler Blake, who spotted the display early in the morning before he headed to his construction job.
"I ran down to the docks and I saw an eagle flapping in the water," Blake told WMUR. "I'm, like, 'Wow!' I wasn't sure if it was hurt or something."
Eagle researcher Jim Watson from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says "swimming is not an unusual activity" for these birds.
