This is bird noir. I'm Michael Stein, private eye. It was late when the dame called me.

Oh Michael, you have to help me.

I could tell she was desperate.

I just saw a big brown bird with a light head fly off with a rainbow trout from my pond.

A fish murder, Michael.

I think it was a bald eagle.

Can you help me find him?

Not so fast, I thought. People are often quick to assume they've seen a bald eagle

But there were some other suspects to rule out

Sometimes people see the big wings of a turkey vulture and think it's an eagle.

Did it hold its wings flat or did they lift up in a V shape like a paper airplane?

Those wings were as flat as a pancake.

All right, so not a vulture then.

Ah!

But when this bird passed overhead, did the wings have a kinked shape like the letter M, or were they

straight and squared off?

It looked just like a letter M, M for murder that is.

Uh-huh. We found a fish killer.

It was an Osprey, a likely suspect. Those birds love boosting fish from lakes and ponds for their dinner.

When you think you've spotted an eagle, remember to examine all the evidence.

For more bird mysteries, head to our website, birdnotes.org. I'm private eye, Michael Stein. You're here.