Rare Bald Eagle Perches Regally In Central Park: See It

CENTRAL PARK, NY — A Bald Eagle perched regally on a tree branch in Central Park was spotted and photographed on Tuesday morning.

The mighty bird rested on a tree north of the West 81st Street entrance to the park at around 10:30 a.m.

This morning's Central Park BALD EAGLE, perching high, north of the West 81st Street entrance to the park. pic.twitter.com/Zz9vsQEmIk
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) December 29, 2020

It's not exactly an everyday occurrence to see a Bald Eagle perched on a tree branch in Manhattan.

"Bald Eagles are occasionally seen flying over Central Park in the colder months," said David Barrett, the photographer of the Central Park eagle and also the founder of the popular Manhattan Bird Alert account, on Twitter.

"If you watch the sky all day, you might see one to three. Bald Eagles perching in Manhattan, however, are quite unusual."

In a fittingly full-circle detail for 2020, a Bald Eagle became a top story in January of this year after it perched multiple times in the trees of Riverside Park.

The birds are most commonly seen in Manhattan flying either on their way to, or over, the Hudson River — where they hunt and fish.

Sensing the significance of the opportunity, Barrett knew he had to act fast to get a shot of the rare Bald Eagle he could share with his fervent Twitter following.

"We got alerts earlier this morning from some observers in the park of this Bald Eagle. I relayed the alert, along with the location, and then ran out to see it," Barrett told Patch. "The sun was illuminating the eagle well against the blue sky. I found a spot with no obstruction from tree branches and took my shots."

"Soon the eagle took flight," he added.

You can check out more bird updates on the Manhattan Bird Alert Twitter page.