Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-15
3. DU FL
Between a Large Bald Eagle and
King Nultnre.

Between Large Bald Eagle and a
King Vulture.
Two thousand people witnessed O
novel combat recently in Central
park. 1t was between a large bald
eagle and a king vulture. The battle
ground was within the mammoth
eagle cage west o the arsenal For
fifteen minutes the birds fought des-
perately before they were separated
by one OF the keepers Two old
sports present said it beat any cock
fight they had ever seen.
The cage in which the eagles are
confined is thirty feet long fifteen
feet wide, and has height OF about
fifteen feet Rocks have been piled
up at ea:h end of the cage where the
vultures and eagles make their eyrie.
A large perch hangs between the
rocks whereon the golden eagle and
the white tailed eagle spend most of
their time The vultures and the
bald eagle occupy the rocks There
is no cage in the park where inmates
are less social than that of the
eagles. All day long they stand upon
the rocks and stare into space
scarcely uttering a sound. save when
something unusual happens.
The birds were pursuing the even
tenor OF their way when a sparrow
flew into the cage and alighted near
the edge of the pool Instantly the
king vulture fixed his fierce gaze upon
the sparrow. There was blood in his
cruel eye Hopping down from one
stone to another until he reached the
ground the vulture began stealing to-
ward the sparrow, who was dipping
his wee bill into the pool Closer and
closer TO the sparrow came the vui-
ture his movements not making even
sound enough TO sCarte his victim.
The vulture raised one foot and, with
extended talons brought it down
heavily upon the smaller bird.
Scarcely had he done so when from
his rocky eminence the bald eagle
emitted terrible screech and flap
ping his gigantic wings swooped
down upon the vulture. The bald
eagles unearthly scream startled the
crowd and there was a grand rush to-
ward the eagle. The eagle landed on
the vultures back and keeled over
nearly falling into the pool. In an
instant he had wriggled from under
the eagle and gained his feet For a
moment the two kings OF the air stood
glaring at each other. Then with
tremendous force they came together.
AT the same moment each set up a
scream. The New York Advertiser
describes it as more of rough and
tum BILE than a stand-up fight The
birds would clinch. fall down and roll
over.
Time and again the bald eagle and
the king vulture had flown at each
other while the feathers flew thick
and fast about them. Once they
rolled over the wounded sparrow and
crushed the life but Of him. 1t would
doubtless have been a fight to the
finish but for the timely interference
of a man. who thrust d long pole into
the cage and beat both birds as hard
as he could At first they would not
break away but kept on clawing and
biting each other while tue man
continued raining on them a sue
cession of heavy blows A powerful
blow on the head finally LAID the
vulture low. The eagle sprang upon
his fallen antagonist and would have
made short work of him but was
driven into corner by the man with
the pole and kept there until his
thirst for blood had subsidized