Govind Tekale
A dramatic wildlife encounter between a bald eagle and a Canada goose in Burlington, Ontario has captured public attention, especially given current U.S.-Canada political tensions. Canadian photographer Mervyn Sequeira documented this rare 20-minute battle on February 23, 2025, at LaSalle Marina during his weekly family hike.
Symbolic Standoff on Frozen Waters
The confrontation occurred when a bald eagle—America’s national bird—attempted to prey on what appeared to be an unwell Canada goose resting on frozen lake ice. Despite multiple attack attempts by the eagle, the goose successfully defended itself.
“When we thought that it was really over for the goose, strangely, the bald eagle just gave up and left,” said Sequeira, a 74-year-old retired airline captain from Oakville, Ontario. “The goose was spared that day.”
Political Parallels
This wildlife encounter coincided with escalating trade disputes between the United States and Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump recently implemented 25% tariffs on most Canadian goods and made controversial comments suggesting Canada could become America’s “51st state.”
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods, stating: “Canadians are united in knowing that this is the time to hit back hard and demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners.”
The timing of this encounter also follows Canada’s hockey victory over the U.S. in Boston, after which Trudeau proclaimed: “You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game.”
Photographer’s Natural Perspective
Sequeira, who has photographed Canadian wildlife since immigrating from Goa, India 30 years ago, avoided placing political meaning on the images himself.
“I only posted [the pictures to social media] in terms of what happened, not putting a political spin on it. However, there were lots of people who looked at it in the political context,” he explained.
Similar Posts
“We’re living in a slightly polarized world just now, so some people looked at it differently,” Sequeira added, maintaining his focus on wildlife behavior rather than symbolism.
Wildlife Health Concerns
Sequeira observed that the goose appeared ill, noting it was “unstable on its feet and its head kept swinging very much like a person would be if a person had had vertigo.” This likely made it a target for the eagle.
The encounter highlights a concerning wildlife health issue as the goose showed symptoms consistent with Avian Influenza, a virus that eagles can contract when preying on infected waterfowl. In recent years, many bald eagles have succumbed to this virus.
Local Eagle Population
Bald eagles are relatively rare but growing in number around Lake Ontario. The Royal Botanical Gardens reported that the first eagles to hatch on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario in 50 years did so at their facility in 2013, with another pair born in 2023. However, they currently know of only one local bird based in nearby Cootes Paradise.
Sequeira noted the rarity of such an encounter: “We see bald eagles going for fish. We see bald eagles going after smaller ducks occasionally. But it’s quite unusual to see a bald eagle taking on a Canada goose, and in all my years, this is the first time I’ve seen it.”
Natural Balance
Despite the political interpretations many have placed on the encounter, Sequeira views it through a naturalist’s lens.
“Eagles, for instance, or coyotes are there to take out the sick and also to maintain a balance in numbers,” he said. “Some of us do not understand [it] but that’s the way nature works. And I just enjoy nature.”
“Nature has its way of taking out the weak and the not so well and the injured. The eagle likely thought it would be able to take it out quite easily,” Sequeira observed. “But, it wasn’t.”
