Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-09-10
A BATTLE OF BIRDS.
An Eagle POunces on Pelican in O
San Francisco Park.

A most remarkable battle took place
in Golden Gate Park recently. 1t pos
sessed great interest to the few who were
so fortunate as to witness it. The con-
testants were large bald eagle and the
big white pelican that graces the pond
near the Haight street entrance.
Very often pair of eagles have been
seen sailing in the air and lowering over
the park. They have been known to
catch quails in the deer paddock, and
have even scooped in q ground squirrel
now and then to carry off to their young
in some crag on the coast. The bald
eagle usually selects the highest and
most inaccessible cliff on which to build
its nest, and it is thought the pair of
marauders in question have for years
had their home at some point two or
three miles below the Cliff House.
Yesterday morning several park visi-
tors observed these two large birds hover
ing over the duck pond. They sailed
around in gradually diminishing circles,
rising higher and higher until they were
but specks against the sky, when sud-
denly they disappeared from view alto
gether.
Perhaps half an hour had passed when
the people seated on the benches watch
ing the ducks and black swan lazily pad
ding about or admiring the ungainly but
dignitied pelican resting motionless ON
the water were startled to see black
streak shooting through the air with
noiseless rush All of the ducks scurried
to the edge of the pond and hid in the
bush. The pelican alone remained un-
conscious of danger.
Like n flash the eagle, for such it was,
fastened its talons in the pelicans back
and attempted to fly away with the long
necked bird. The pelican, however,
proved too heavy for the eagle to carry,
and after rise of eight or ten feet the
king of birds was forced to relinqush its
hold upon its prey, which dropped back
into the water. The eagle was not to be
robbed of its prize, however, and it made
another swoop.
By this time the pelican had recovered
from its surprise. 1t got into fighting
position and received its enemy with out
stretched neck and Tapping wings. The
eagle failed to secure a hold and received
q hard pinch from the strong bills of the
pelican that caused it to fly away scream
ing with rage and pain.
Again the eagle pressed the attack. AS
if to gain some advantage, the pelican
reached the land and awaited the on
slaught. The eagle accepted the chal-
lenge, and for time all that could be
seen was mixed-up mass of feathers. The
long neck of the pelican proved to be an
effective weapon, however, and the hard
bill was repeatedly driven into the eagles
side, at times knocking it over. Only
once did the eagle get hold with its
beak and talons, but the slight advantage
was to no purpose, as it was Immediately
shaken off by the big white bird
Finally the battle, which lasted about
four minutes, ended by the eagle taking
wing and beating sullen retreat in
dilapidated condition.
The pelican is in almost as good con-
dition as when it entered the affray, save
the loss of few feathers, and after the
battle it sailed about the pond with dig
nitied stroke as if conscious of its clever
victory.
Park Policeman McManus and about
fifteen others witnessed the battle.-[San
Francisco ChrOnicle