Eagle Drops Cat Through Driver’s Windshield on North Carolina Highway
In a bizarre incident that sounds more like a scene from a wildlife documentary than a morning commute, a North Carolina driver experienced what might be one of the strangest road hazards imaginable. While traveling along U.S. Route 74 near Bryson City, about 65 miles southwest of Asheville, the woman’s windshield was suddenly shattered when a bald eagle dropped a dead cat onto her vehicle. The stunned driver immediately called 911 to report the unusual occurrence, admitting to the dispatcher that her story might sound unbelievable. “You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield,” she explained, describing how the impact “absolutely shattered” her windshield. The incident was so unusual that even a witness who observed the falling feline remarked it was “the craziest thing” they had ever seen.
The 911 dispatcher handled the call with remarkable composure, assuring the driver, “I do believe you, honestly,” though unable to contain some nervous laughter at the extraordinary situation. After confirming the driver’s location and promising to send Highway Patrol to file a report, the dispatcher inquired about the condition of the cat. The driver confirmed that the cat was deceased and had been moved to the side of the road rather than remaining inside the vehicle. The conversation captured the surreal nature of the event, with both the caller and dispatcher processing the bizarre circumstances through a mix of shock and nervous humor. The dispatcher even admitted, “I’ve heard crazier,” though the driver understandably described the experience as “terrifying.”
Wildlife experts were consulted to make sense of this unusual aerial delivery. Kendrick Weeks of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission suggested that the cat was likely roadkill that had been scavenged by the eagle. “They can take animals the size of a cat,” Weeks explained, adding that “it is much harder for them to take a live cat than a dead cat.” This insight helps contextualize the event within normal eagle behavior, as bald eagles are known to be opportunistic feeders that don’t hesitate to scavenge when the opportunity presents itself. Weeks further noted that eagles “usually don’t prey on something they don’t find palatable,” reinforcing the likelihood that the cat was already deceased when the eagle found it.
The wildlife expert also provided several explanations for why an eagle might drop its prey mid-flight. Eagles and other raptors might release their catch if they have a poor grip on it or if the prey is struggling in a way that might cause injury to the bird. Additionally, harassment from other birds might cause an eagle to drop what it’s carrying, or the prey might simply become too heavy to transport effectively over distance. While some raptors are known to deliberately drop prey as a hunting tactic to kill their catch, Weeks indicated this behavior is uncommon among bald eagles. These explanations help frame the incident as an unusual but not entirely unexpected aspect of raptor behavior, particularly when considering the opportunistic nature of bald eagles as predators and scavengers.
This incident highlights the surprising intersections between wildlife and human environments in modern America. Bald eagles, once endangered and rarely seen across much of the United States, have made a remarkable recovery in recent decades thanks to conservation efforts. Their increasing presence in areas where humans live and travel creates opportunities for unusual encounters like this one. The national bird’s comeback story represents one of America’s most successful wildlife conservation efforts, but it also means more opportunities for surprising human-wildlife interactions. What makes this particular case stand out is not just the presence of the eagle, but the extraordinary timing and location of its dropped payload – directly onto a moving vehicle’s windshield on a busy highway.
The story serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of wildlife and the sometimes startling ways in which the natural world can intersect with our daily lives. While most drivers prepare for common road hazards like deer crossings or fallen branches, few would think to be on alert for airborne objects dropped by America’s national symbol. The incident, while certainly traumatic for the driver involved, has an element of dark comedy that captures public imagination – a truly bizarre occurrence that breaks the monotony of everyday news. For the driver in Swain County, it’s undoubtedly an experience she’ll never forget and a story few would believe without the official 911 call and Highway Patrol report to back it up. As Americans increasingly share spaces with recovering wildlife populations, perhaps we should all occasionally glance skyward while driving – you never know what might be passing overhead.
