While bald eagles may be a bit of a rarity to see in the Lower 48, America's bird is quite commonplace in Alaska. So commonplace, in fact, that they're often referred to as 'trash birds' by locals for their habit of digging around in dumpsters and landfills.
And a recent TikTok posted on January 20 is the perfect example: The video, posted by Eryn Whittern, shows the majestic bird in, well, a rather un-majestic setting. Whittern lives in a remote Alaskan town known as Unalaska, which is accessible only by airplane or boat and known for its rich fishing industry. There are many unique things about living in a remote Alaska village that's off-the-road system, not the least of which is the proximity of the wildlife. As Whittern brought her trash to the town dump one day, she noticed a rather unusual concentration of one species in particular: bald eagles.
@erynwhittern You could say i was SHOOK? there was even more when i turned around the other direction? #Alaska #AlaskaWildlife #Eagles #EagleCapital #Unalaska #AlaskaEagles #BaldEagles #fyp? #Trending #AlaskaLiving
The viral video, which has garnered over one million views, opens with a bedraggled, dirty bald eagle hanging out in the parking lot. Whittern pans the camera to reveal another eagle. And another. And another. One flaps across the camera and then an entire flock is revealed perched on a trash pile in the landfill baler building. They peck and flap around the garbage, pulling out the tastiest morsels.
The railing above the trash pile is also well over a dozen birds, waiting their turn. Some appear to be juvenile bald eagles, with the typical mottled brown and white feathers, while others have the fully white heads of mature bald eagles.
Whittern told KTOO, "There's always a bunch [of eagles], but there was an exceptional amount that day."
Comments flooded the video, with many users linking the behavior of the bald eagles to seagulls or pigeons. One user, Carly, writes, "My cousins are from Unalaska and they call them dump chickens."
It's probably not the look the Founding Fathers had in mind when they chose the bald eagle to symbolize the freedom of America.
