These Massive Extinct Eagles Could Have Carried Off That Toddler's Dad

Wednesday, December 19, 2012 - 14:30 in Paleontology & Archaeology

Haast's Eagle Hunting Moa via Wikimedia CommonsSure, a golden eagle can theoretically snag a baby. But the Haast's eagle hunted 12-foot-tall monster birds. Last night, a video supposedly showing a golden eagle swooping down to pluck a toddler from a Montreal park--it was unsuccessful, luckily--hit the internet. Great video! This morning, avian experts both amateur and professional began weighing in, saying the video was doctored, that the bird in question was not actually a golden eagle, that the bird's behavior is unusual and that, all in all, it's probably fake. So, yes, perhaps a golden eagle didn't attempt to grab a Quebecois baby. But this whole thing reminded us that raptors--the larger family of birds of prey including eagles, hawks, vultures, and owls--are crazy strong and also sometimes crazy big. So let's take a look at the craziest, strongest, and biggest raptor that ever existed: the Haast's eagle of New...

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