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‘Golden Eagle Snatches Kid’ video is fake

A video of a golden eagle swooping from the skies of Montreal to snatch a toddler off the ground flew its way across the internet this morning, instantly becoming a viral sensation.

But on closer review, the video, which has over one million views on YouTube already, is full of clues that tell it is a fake.

The eagle-eyed viewers should notice the first clue in within seconds of the 1 minute video when the right wing of the bird appears to get cut in half only for it to reappear fully feathered an instant later.

The purported eagle is above the man's right shoulder, but has no corresponding shadow on the ground.

The purported eagle is above the man’s right shoulder, but has no corresponding shadow on the ground. (YouTube)

A moment later and a shadow for the eagle appears on the ground.

A moment later and a shadow for the eagle appears on the ground. (YouTube)

If that’s not enough to convince you, skip ahead to the eleventh second of the video as the bird is half way through it’s dive bomb attack.

At first you can see pedestrians and trees on the ground with shadows to the left of their bodies, but the bird’s shadow is conspiciously absent only for it to appear as if by magic a moment later.

The final clue comes from the fact that the video is the first to be uploaded by user MrNuclearCat, a bad sign in the world of YouTube, and that Montreal is one of the digital effects capitals of the world.