Face Off: Adolescent Eagle Chases Away Deer

By Amanda Stringfellow @amanda_l_s

AN ADOLESCENT eagle faces off with a DEER in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

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The juvenile fish eagle spreads its wings during the tense stand-off

Watched by his parents, the mischievous fish eagle chased away an adult bushbuck with a display of aggression.

The gutsy bird was then confronted by the deer’s calf and the pair had a tense stand off.

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A fish eagle confronts the young deer

The curious deer stretched its nose towards the eagle before it turned and fled from the winged-menace.

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The curious deer appears to bow before the bird as it stretches out its wings

Photographer Jan van Wky, 52, watched the fish eagle as it spent eight days terrorising the local wildlife, near Lake Panic.

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What are you looking at? The eagle eyes up the deer

Jan said: “He quickly chased the one adult bushbuck away, but the inquisitive calf had the guts to step in.

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The eagle had spent eight days terrorising the local wildlife - and the deer was his next victim

“The adrenalin was pumping and I knew this must be a once in a lifetime sighting.

“As the bushbuck approached, the young eagle began pruning himself in an apparent show of intimidation.

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Winner: The eagle is the victor of the stand-off and struts away aggressively

“The two were now locked, attempting to stare each other down and the Bushbuck was not backing down.

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The juvenile fish eagle causes havoc among the locals at the aptly named Lake Panic

“Suddenly the fish eagle, in an effort to make itself look larger, opened its enormous wings - quickly chasing off the curious buck.

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Rule the roost: The eagle surveys his surroundings

“I was just hoping that I got all on camera, I don’t think that this behaviour has ever been recorded before.”