See Rare Photos of an Eagle Attacking a Deer

It isn't often you'll see an eagle swoop down and attack and kill a deer, but these striking pictures show what it looks like when it happens.

According to a press release from the Wildlife Conservation Society website, the eagle vs. deer photos were captured by a trap cam in Russia originally set up to photograph tigers.

Linda Kerley of the Zoological Society of London and Jonathan Slaght of the Wildlife Conservation Society included the photos in a paper published in the 'Journal of Raptor Research.'

So, exactly how rare is such an attack? Do eagles typically swoop down to attack deer?

"I’ve been assessing deer causes of death in Russia for 18 years," said Dr. Kerley, adding "this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this."

Her partner echoed the sentiment, describing the photos as a "a very rare, opportunistic predation event."