Shocking Incident: Bald Eagle Drops Cat Through Driver's Windshield in North Carolina Highway

A driver in the United States experienced an extraordinary incident when a bald eagle dropped a cat through their car windshield, causing it to shatter completely. The unexpected event occurred while the motorist was traveling on a highway near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.

During the emergency call to 911, the shocked driver stated, "You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield. It absolutely shattered my windshield." The dispatcher responded reassuringly, "OK. I do believe you, honestly."

This unusual occurrence took place on US Route 74 in Swain County, near Bryson City, approximately 65 miles southwest of Asheville. The driver mentioned that another witness had observed the incident, describing it as "the craziest thing I've ever seen."

As the conversation continued, the 911 responder attempted to comfort the clearly distressed driver by saying, "Oh my goodness. Let's see. I've heard crazier." The driver confirmed that unfortunately, the cat did not survive the impact and was lying on the other side of the road.

This is not the first remarkable incident involving bald eagles in the United States. In 2020, a bald eagle took down a government drone at a Michigan lake. Environmental quality analyst Hunter King was operating a Phantom 4 Pro Advanced quadcopter drone to map shoreline erosion when the signal began fading. Moments later, the device spiraled downward after a bald eagle damaged its propeller. Officials suggested the eagle might have perceived the drone as a territorial threat or potentially as prey.

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), approximately 316,700 bald eagles currently inhabit the United States. These birds were considered endangered since the 1980s but have since made a remarkable recovery.