A driver traveling along U.S. Route 74 in Swain County, near Bryson City, North Carolina, escaped injury after an unexpected incident involving wildlife. According to a 911 call, the motorist reported that a bald eagle appeared to drop a cat onto the vehicle, shattering the passenger side of the windshield.
The unusual event occurred near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Wednesday morning. The caller, whose identity was not released, told the dispatcher, “You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield.” Another witness reportedly saw the incident and called it “the craziest thing” he had ever seen.
The dispatcher assured the driver that the report was taken seriously, despite the bizarre nature of the event.
Wildlife officials say the cat may have been roadkill that was scavenged by the eagle before it slipped from the bird’s grip or was discarded mid-flight. Kendrick Weeks of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission confirmed that bald eagles are capable of carrying prey the size of a cat, especially if the animal is already dead. He added that it’s not uncommon for raptors to drop a cat or other prey when they lose their grip or are harassed by other birds.
Bald eagle populations have been rising in North Carolina, with more than 200 nesting pairs now recorded across the state.