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| Escaped bald eagle lands on girl | Escaped bald eagle lands on girl |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A 10-year-old girl received minor cuts to her hand when an escaped bald eagle with a 6ft-wingspan landed on her. | |
| Sarah Arikan, who owns a hotel in Bristol, near Cribbs Causeway, said the eagle landed on her daughter India's wrist on Monday evening. | Sarah Arikan, who owns a hotel in Bristol, near Cribbs Causeway, said the eagle landed on her daughter India's wrist on Monday evening. |
| The bird was identified by a tag on its leg as belonging to a falconry centre about 50 miles (80km) away. | The bird was identified by a tag on its leg as belonging to a falconry centre about 50 miles (80km) away. |
| It had been taking part in a display at Moreton-in-Marsh on Sunday and had failed to return. | It had been taking part in a display at Moreton-in-Marsh on Sunday and had failed to return. |
| The eagle, which is named Wotan, had escaped from the Cotswold Falconry Centre near Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. | |
| India said she had been outside the hotel when the eagle landed on her. | |
| She said: "Suddenly it went into my hand and it's claws dug into me. I was shaking it all around and it wouldn't come off me." | |
| India said she tried to shake the bird off In Pictures: The eagle has landed | |
| Mrs Arikan, who owns the Berwick Lodge Hotel, had been on the telephone on Monday evening when she heard her daughter shouting. | Mrs Arikan, who owns the Berwick Lodge Hotel, had been on the telephone on Monday evening when she heard her daughter shouting. |
| She said: "India kept saying 'the eagle's on my arm, the eagle's on my arm and it won't come off. | |
| "She was shaking it and there was blood pouring everywhere. | |
| "I had to tell the gentleman I was speaking to on the phone I was sorry and I'd have to call him back because a bald eagle had just landed on my daughter's wrist. | |
| "He said 'oh yes certainly' so I think he thought I was an absolute crackpot." | "He said 'oh yes certainly' so I think he thought I was an absolute crackpot." |
| Lloyd Buck, a Bristol-based bird trainer who works for the BBC's Natural History Unit, was called in to help and tempted the eagle from the roof using some lamb steak. | |
| 'Free spirit' | 'Free spirit' |
| A spokesman for the falconry centre said the high temperatures on Sunday allowed the eagle to soar. | |
| He said: "The weather was magnificent and the 10-year-old bird had been released but flew off. | He said: "The weather was magnificent and the 10-year-old bird had been released but flew off. |
| "He's 10 years old and is a bit of a free spirit - he's done this a few times before so it's not that unusual - or to travel that sort of distance. | "He's 10 years old and is a bit of a free spirit - he's done this a few times before so it's not that unusual - or to travel that sort of distance. |
| "Luckily the hotel contacted a falconer who was able to identify the bird as belonging to us," he added. | "Luckily the hotel contacted a falconer who was able to identify the bird as belonging to us," he added. |
| The bald eagle is the national bird of North America. It is a sea eagle, and plucks fish from the water using its strong talons. | The bald eagle is the national bird of North America. It is a sea eagle, and plucks fish from the water using its strong talons. |
| Adult males are about 3ft (90cm) long with a wingspan of just more than 2m (6.5ft). Females are larger, reaching 108cm (43in) with a wingspan of up to 2.5m (8ft). | Adult males are about 3ft (90cm) long with a wingspan of just more than 2m (6.5ft). Females are larger, reaching 108cm (43in) with a wingspan of up to 2.5m (8ft). |