Photographer captures stunning image of bald eagle with symmetrical reflection

An amateur photographer took a perfectly symmetrical photo of a bald eagle flying above a pond and its reflection underneath, gaining admiration worldwide for the shot. The photograph was taken by Steve Biro at the Canadian Raptor Conservancy earlier this month. 

Biro, who pursues photography as a hobby, snapped hundreds of photos of the eagle during a trip to the conservancy on May 4. He told CBS News partner BBC what stood out to him most in the viral photo was the eagle's eyes "staring daggers." 

"He's squared up perfectly, both wings are touching the water," he told the BBC. "That [photograph] was the one that struck me as as little more special than the others. But I still didn't even know how it would resonate with people."

He first shared the photo of the eagle known as Bruce in some Facebook photography groups and it later found its way to the front page of Reddit, according to the BBC. Before he knew it, it was being featured on news outlets around the world.

Biro said birds at the Canadian Raptor Conservancy are typically unbothered by photographers. However, Bruce, a resident eagle at the conservancy, was not a fan. 

"He was actually trying to brush me away from where I was perched," he said. "I could feel the breeze from his wings as he flew over me. The other people who were there were gasping as he came over my head. It was really quite exhilarating."

On his Facebook page, he also shared a slow-motion video of the eagle as it flew by him.

Biro told the BBC he loves taking photos of birds because of their similarities to humans.

"The way they hunt, the way they interact," he said. "Sometimes you'll see them do things. They'll be playful, just like children. It's amazing how you'll see aspects of humanity in birds — and in animals overall."