Eagle tries to snatch boy during wildlife show in Australian park

ALICE SPRINGS, Australia (KTVU) - A wedge-tailed eagle tried to carry away a frightened boy during a wildlife presentation at a nature park in central Australia.

Christine O’Connell witnessed the incident at Alice Springs Desert Park and snapped a photo of the moment as a large wedge-tailed eagle swooped down, flew straight toward the boy and sank its talons into the child's head.

Witnesses described hearing the boy scream and said it appeared the eagle was trying to pick up the boy like he was a small animal.

In her Instagram post, O’Connell writes that prior to the attack, the boy, who was wearing a hoodie, "kept pulling his zipper up and down."    

It appears that the bird was not a big fan of the zipper sound and that may have been what prompted the attack.

O'Connell says that park workers promptly canceled the presentation and the boy was rushed off to be treated.

He reportedly suffered a minor cut to his face.

O'Connell notes that the boy was pretty lucky, commenting that "Those talons are huge."

The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia.

Wildlife experts say the powerful birds are capable of taking prey several times their own weight.