So as an eagle handler doing educational outreach I want to add a couple little things here kedreeva is absolutely correct but there’s a little more to these behaviors so
First gif “The Bait” so captive raptors that are handled by humans bait (attempt to fly off the glove but remain tethered by their jesses) for any number of reasons. Sometimes we as handlers know why, sometimes we can guess, mostly it’s just random the reason known only to the bird; often as not it’s a personality of the bird thing some birds just bate.
Although I absolutely agree with Kedreeva here he’s holding this bird very badly and was certainly the cause of this bait
The best most skilled handlers on the planet with birds they know well and birds that know and trust the handler with every positive association possible bait and their handlers have to deal with the birds baiting it’s just part of the game.
For the most part a bait isn’t particularly dangerous, because part of my job as a handler is to anticipate a bait to the best of my ability (I have to know the bird; their behavior right before a bait etc), then move WITH the bait correctly and ultimately recover the bait entirely and not force against their movement which could cause incredibly serious injuries to the bird. So if you’re seeing an organization with live raptors and ones baits it’s probably not a big deal if the handler has been trained properly Seriously I volunteer with some incredibly experienced/skilled honestly gifted bird people who ALL regularly deal with baiting it happens we can prevent some bates others we can’t and we have to know how to recover safely.
Second gif “The foot/bite”: Raptors primary hunting and self defense tool is their feet this is what makes a raptor. What’s show here is a trump getting “footed” or rather Uncle Sam attempting to foot and again like bating happens to the best handlers here a good handler knows when an individual bird is likely to “throw a foot” and how to make it a non issue.
For example when we retrieve them from their enclosure which= their territory=their personal space especially now as I’m writing this in spring when everyone is feeling frisky and territorial (some bird we leave alone entirely in spring too much stress for them too dangerous for us others are largely unbothered).
The other piece is to only ever let them hit the glove. You NEVER EVER do what trump did here and stick your bare hand near their feet. Just yesterday I had the bald eagle I was retrieving throw talons at me I knew she probably would because she nearly always does, and my ungloved hand was behind my back with my gloved hand out front to take the hit; because I knew what I’m doing it was a non issue and she stepped up calm as anything afterwards and actually promptly went back to the preening I had interrupted once on the glove. She just felt she had to remind me whose house I was in first.
Trump had none of this training or knowledge. He should have never been handed an eagle. Not only is this questionably even legal as the usfws must have record of every person that handles a raptor on the permit of the organization or individual (falconers) that cares for said bird and ANOTHER additional permit and record on the permit for eagles and eagle handlers. (Like we could get in trouble if a selfie angle could be construed as a member of the public APPEARING to hold any of the raptors even if they’re on a permitted handlers glove in reality. we have to tell people no selfies for this reason the laws are that hardcore)
Additionally these birds know when you are nervous and know when you are clueless with which these behaviors will be become radically more intense.
Trump: a mix of both nervous, clueless, and arrogant was a recipe for disaster coupled with the fact that he had no interest in Uncle Sam beyond how both “patriotic” and “manly” he would look means I am honestly disappointed Uncle Sam seems to have missed him with that foot.
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