A bald eagle crashed into a Palo Alto home last month, shattering a window before regaining his composure and flying away, animal control officials said.
Palo Alto Animal Control said it thinks the eagle was hunting a smaller bird and simply "flew too low for his own good" before crashing into a back patio window at the residence in the city's Greenmeadow neighborhood.
The eagle, believed to be 4 to 5 years old, stunned himself after smashing into the window, animal control said. Responding officers found the bird sitting in the side yard of the home trying to recuperate.
"The eagle also appeared to be partially covered in baylands mud, so we could tell he was not having the best day," animal control said in a social media post.
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Officers checked out the eagle and didn't notice any visible injuries. They decided to see if he could fly on his own instead of trying to capture him.
As one officer approached the eagle, the bird started to take off but only made it to a nearby barbecue. When the officer got even closer, the eagle took off again and flew away into the distance.
"He was slightly worse for wear, but not significantly injured, and hopefully will have some positive takeaways from this ordeal," animal control wrote.
