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In Tomball, police and firefighters found themselves in an unusual role as referees for two quarreling bald eagles who were discovered stuck together after getting into a heated dispute over food scraps in a front yard.
The eagles were tightly entangled, gripping each other's claws tightly when the first responders arrived. Despite trying to fly away from when the guests showed up, the giant birds quickly descended back to the ground, still locked in their clash.
Police contacted the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife for guidance on how to approach the situation. As a result, they were advised to cover the eagles with a blanket to help soothe them. As the officers and firefighters approached with a firefighter's jacket, the eagles released their talon grip and took flight.
The Tomball Police Department's efforts received praise from Facebook users, praising their dedication to the rare rescue.
Bald eagles are year-round residents in Texas, with distinct populations of breeding and non-breeding birds found in various regions of the state.
Breeding eagles are concentrated in the eastern half of Texas and along coastal counties, while non-breeding or wintering populations are distributed across the Panhandle, Central, East Texas and other similar habitats throughout the state.