WATCH — ‘How Wild Is This?’: ‘Convocation’ of 20 Bald Eagles Stuns Maine Man

A group of majestic bald eagles gave a man quite a thrill recently in Old Town, Maine, as he was on his way to work.

Michael McPhee was heading to a worksite when he looked up into the trees around him and saw an amazing sight, WABI reported Monday.

He quickly began recording and narrating what he was seeing as he walked through the ice and snow, his footsteps crunching noisily.

“Dude, there’s like, there’s gotta be 20 bald eagles out here. I’m not even lying. This is insane,” he said before zooming in on the birds resting on the branches above him.

“Eagle, eagle, eagle, right?” he said before counting to nearly 20. “There’s gotta be 20 eagles out here. How wild is this? They’re everywhere. There’s so many of them. I can’t even explain how many there are,” he stated:

The bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, develops a pure white head and tail when it grows into adulthood.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website reads:

Bald eagles are creatures of habit. What seems “the same eagle perched on the same limb of the same tree” may be a series of individuals over time. They are selective about food sources, perches, nocturnal roosts, and especially nests.

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Although some leave the state, many bald eagles remain through the winter in Maine. Scavenging carrion becomes more prevalent as ice cover greatly limits food availability.

There are several names to describe a group of eagles, one being a convocation while the other names include a soar, aerie, or spread, per AZ Animals.

“Each of the collective nouns for eagles has a specific meaning. For example, the word ‘convocation’ means a large and formal gathering of people. While the formality may throw people off, the term is very applicable to eagles,” the site reads:

Eagles are not the most social animals, but dozens of them can roost in a single area at a time. This meeting is not for them to socialize, pamper one another, or mate. Instead, these large gatherings occur for specific reasons other than emotional attachment. These birds come together as individuals or small family groups, often to feed or for group protection.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act protect bald eagles and prohibit them, their nests, or eggs from being harmed, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.