Photo shows what happened after bald eagle dropped CAT onto car
A North Carolina driver faced a surreal, frightening moment when a bald eagle released a dead cat onto her windshield as she drove along a highway.
The incident unfolded on US Route 74 near Bryson City, close to the Tennessee border, around 8:15 a.m. She was traveling about 55 mph when the bird struck and the cat dropped through the windshield, creating a large hole on the passenger side.
Responding to a 911 call, dispatchers confirmed the extraordinary report and arranged for highway patrol to file a report. The driver, whose name was not released, described the moment of impact and the resulting damage. The cat was on the road and not inside the car at the time of the collision and did not survive.
A witness at the scene told authorities that the eagle and its prey were in a midair struggle before the drop. A state trooper noted that the bird likely released the cat because of a poor grip or because the prey was struggling or too heavy, rather than because it intended to harm someone inside the vehicle.
The driver escaped injury, but the windshield damage was extensive enough to warrant towing the car from the scene. While bald eagles can carry prey as large as a domestic cat, such events remain rare and can be influenced by the prey’s condition and the bird’s strength at the moment of the catch.
Experts explain that dropping prey is a known tactic among raptors for several reasons. A compromised grip, a struggling animal, or persistent harassment from other birds can trigger a release to prevent injury to the hunter. In some cases, a heavier or more difficult-to-carry creature will be dropped if the bird judges it too risky to continue carrying.
