Symbol of US-Canada tensions: Photographer captures fight between American Bald Eagle and Canadian Goose

A symbol of conflict between the two countries, a wild encounter between a Canadian goose and an American bald eagle was caught on camera by a photographer from Ontario.

Mervyn Sequeira was out with his family when he saw the eagle walking towards the goose on a frozen lake in an attempt to prey on it.

For about 20 minutes the eagle attacked repeatedly, and the goose desperately defended itself. Tasting failure in its hunting attempt the predator backed off sparing the waterbird.

Sharing pictures of the bird fight, Sequeira on Instagram wrote, "Raptors play a role in keeping numbers in check and taking out the sick and weak. Not often does one see our apex raptor, the American Bald Eagle attempting to take down a Canada Goose."

"For close to twenty minutes, one attacked and the other desperately defended. Finally, the eagle gave up, the goose was spared."

According to a report by CBC Hamilton, the 74-year-old photographer said, "We were there, and we saw this bald eagle coming in and going in to attack a Canada goose that was on the ice."

"When we thought that it was really over for the goose, strangely, the bald eagle just gave up and left. The goose was spared that day."

"I only posted [the pictures on 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," Sequeira told the publication.

According to a report by The Guardian, the photographer said, "I’ve seen bald eagles take a lot of things, from ducks to muskrats. But this is the first time I’ve seen a bald eagle go in for something as big as a goose."

Looking at it as a symbol of rivalry between the two nations, the bird fight coincides with US-Canada tensions.

US President Donald Trump on January 30, 2025, said that the United States will put a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, repeating his warning to the two countries which are top US trade partners.

A senior government official on February 2 said that Canada will take legal action under the relevant international bodies to challenge the 25% tariffs imposed by the United States on most Canadian goods.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on March 3 said that Canada will impose 25% tariffs on C$155 billion ($107 billion) worth of US goods from March 4 if US President Donald Trump's administration follows through with its proposed tariffs on Canadian goods.

Canada will slap 25 per cent tariffs on C$30 billion worth of US goods from Tuesday, while tariffs on the remaining C$125 billion of products will come into effect in 21 days, Trudeau said in a statement.

Canada's ambassador to the WTO in Geneva said on March 5 that Canada has also requested consultations with the United States on "unjustified tariffs" at the World Trade Organisation.