Game of Chicken: Bald Eagle Lands in the Middle of SR-512 and Refuses to Move

Just imagine, you are driving to work and suddenly there is a 3 foot bird in front of you that thinks he is playing a game of CHICKEN!

Bald Eagle Stops Traffic on SR-512 Near Puyallup, Washington

Drivers on SR-512 near Puyallup had an unexpected wildlife encounter that caused delays this morning after a bald eagle landed in the right lane of the highway, stopping traffic and annoying morning commuters. The eagle refused to leave the far left lane, staring at cars like he was playing a game of chicken.

Did the eagle have an identity crisis? I guess we will never know.

The strange encounter was reported by WSDOT Tacoma on X (formally Twitter). The included what looks like a photo from a traffic-cam showing the big bird standing, refusing to budge while a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper approached it on foot. Traffic can be seen carefully passing in the left lane as the Trooper approached the bird carefully.

Bald Eagle Lands in Highway Lane, Trooper Responds Carefully

“That one time a bald eagle landed on SR-512 in Puyallup. In the lane. While people are going freeway speeds,” WSDOT Tacoma posted. “@wastatepatrol safely got the uninjured bird out of the way.”

The eagle appeared unhurt and was eventually safely removed from the road by the trooper. Thanks to the quick response and coordination between drivers and law enforcement, the situation was resolved without injury to the eagle or any motorists trying to avoid the huge bird.

American Bald Eagles are Huge

Bald eagles are among the largest birds in North America, and they are nearly impossible to miss, especially when one is standing in the middle of your freeway lane. These birds can stand up to 3 feet tall and boast a scary large wingspan of 6 to 7.5 feet across and weigh up to 14 pounds.

There were no major delays reported because of the confused bald eagle, and luckily, traffic was back to normal in no time.