Animal Behavior
Sleeping Habits During the breeding season, adults sleep either at the nest or on a branch in the nest tree or nearby tree. Eagles have a specialized mechanism in their foot that allows them to lock it in position so they can sleep without controlling it. This is similar in concept to a horse sleeping standing up. Protection The beak and talons: The hook at the tip of the beak is used for tearing. Behind the hook, the upper mandible, the edge sharp enough to slice tough skin, over laps the lower, creating a scissors effect. A bald eagle's beak is a strong weapon, but is also delicate enough to groom a mate's feathers or feed a small portion of food to a newly hatched chick. Talons are important tools for hunting and defense. Eagles kill their prey by penetrating its flesh with their talons. The talons are very strong and can grasp prey at strengths of 2600 pounds per square inch. This is the equivalent to driving a nail through concrete. The beak and talons grow continuously, because they are made of keratin, the same substance as our hair and fingernails. The beak of a captive eagle is not worn down. |