Like a Chicken?
A bird that runs away at the sight of a fish.
Like a chicken, maybe?
It was hard to believe even seeing it with their own eyes.
Everyone stared blankly at Ssesco, who had stripped bare and shot up into the sky.
Reina was the first to snap out of it, asking Kim Do-hyun, the keeper, in a hesitant tone.
"Uh… I heard it was really timid, but… did it just run away from a fish?"
"You saw it right. Ssesco bolts at the sight of live prey, no matter the size."
Kim Do-hyun sighed, scooping the flapping largemouth bass from the ground into a bucket. He glanced up at the tall tree where Ssesco was trembling on a branch.
"Wow, how is that coward America's national bird? They should've gone with the turkey instead."
"Tell me about it. At least you can eat a turkey."
The PDs clicked their tongues in disbelief—a reaction straight out of early American history.
Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father and face of the hundred-dollar bill, had indeed pushed hard for the turkey over the bald eagle. His reasons were straightforward.
First, its scavenging style of hunting even dead fish.
Second, its thuggish habit of stealing other birds' kills.
Third, its pathetic bravado—bullying weaker birds but fleeing in a flock when crows showed up.
Despite all that, the bald eagle snagged the national bird spot. Simple reason: it was overwhelmingly handsome, flaws be damned.
"Ssesco! Come down already. Time to eat. Ugh… what am I gonna do with you."
Ssesco ignored the keeper's bellowing until all the bass in the bucket were released into the artificial stream. Only then did it swoop casually onto his wrist.
"…Huh?"
Once Ssesco returned, its stark difference from typical raptors became clear.
"Keeper? You're holding it barehanded… no glove?"
I asked in surprise, and Kim Do-hyun nodded sheepishly.
"You caught that, huh. Raptor keepers usually wear buffalo leather gloves, but Ssesco doesn't need 'em."
"Is that… even possible? I thought a bald eagle's grip was ten times a grown man's."
He nodded again, looking even more awkward.
"Well… Ssesco was so tiny and weak from birth that we hand-raised it artificially. Somewhere along the way, it got spoiled. It freaks out if I wear the glove, so I have to handle it like this."
That's unusual. Any other raptor grabbing like that could've snapped his wrist.
A quick look at Ssesco revealed more quirks beyond its timidity and glove aversion.
"You said it's a male, right?"
"Yes. Seven-year-old male."
"Seven-year-old male… but its size is basically female-level. It barely touched the fish earlier—how's it bulking up?"
"Ah, well…"
As Kim Do-hyun's sheepish explanation was about to start, Reina jumped in.
"But, Director, don't males usually get bigger in animals? What you said sounded like females are larger."
"Yeah. Unlike mammals, most raptors have bigger females. Bald eagles too, obviously."
"Whoa… really? That's so unexpected!"
Reina looked genuinely shocked, clearly unaware.
"Any species uses more energy producing eggs than sperm. Females bulk up to store energy for laying, that's just biology."
Plus, most raptors are monogamous—no need for males to compete and grow huge like in other species. No long pregnancies either.
So, outside fiercely competitive chicken-like birds, most birds—especially raptors—have much larger females.
Bald eagle females average 25% bigger than males.
But this one's way too big. Kinda chubby?
Unlike its panic at the wriggling fish, Ssesco boasted a sturdy build.
"Sorry, keeper. Didn't hear your answer earlier."
I finished with Reina and turned back. Kim Do-hyun shook his head.
"No worries. They warned me filming would interrupt. Anyway, as you see, Ssesco won't touch live fish, so we do special meals."
"Special meals?"
"Yeah. Assistant keeper's here with it. Right over there."
The assistant handed over bright red meat mixed with white flour-like powder.
—Food! Food!
Ssesco, trembling on the high branch, dove straight down onto Kim Do-hyun's wrist. Notably, he'd slipped on a buffalo glove in the interim.
Sensing my puzzled look, he grinned awkwardly.
"Gets super excited for meals. Doesn't need the glove otherwise, but feeding time? Always. Shows its raptor side then."
"…Got it. That's beef, right?"
"Yep. Beef sprinkled with supplements. Needs balanced nutrition, but it hates fish so much we do this every meal. It was so scrawny as a chick, we overfed to bulk it up… and now it's a bit…"
"A bit?"
"Ahem. A little oversized. Ssesco, slow down. You'll choke."
Ssesco ignored him, wolfing down the beef.
"Hmm. So, too scared to catch fish, but well-fed enough to get this plump."
"Yes. Great size… but it's all shell. Can't fly properly."
—Do-hyun? Harsh much. Why couldn't I fly? Didn't you see me climb that tree?
Ssesco stopped eating and screeched fiercely. The keeper smiled wide, like he understood every word.
"That's it, Ssesco! Scream like that! Feel that beast inside, huh? The bald eagle is the king of the skies!"
Reina blinked at the indoctrination vibe.
"Um… keeper? Mind if I ask what you're doing?"
"Oh, nothing much. One sec."
He passed Ssesco to the assistant vet and whispered to us.
"As you saw, no raptor instincts at all. Except feeding."
"Yeah, pretty obvious."
"Right? Super timid, won't fly on its own, clings to keepers. So we hype it up verbally."
"Whoa… gotcha."
Reina nodded stiffly, clearly skeptical.
"I've seen its daily routine. Can we watch it fly now?"
"Of course. Ssesco, guests are here—show 'em how cool you fly?"
Kim Do-hyun stepped back, eyeing the assistant's arm intently.
"Ssesco. Ready?"
—Bring it.
"Good! Come on! Hup!"
—Gandaaat!
Ssesco chirped peep! pwek! pwak pwak!, kicked off, and flapped its massive wings.
Reina tilted her head at the iconic bald eagle launch.
"…Director. Something's off, right?"
"What?"
"Like… in movies, they make this cool cry, y'know? But this is… chicken-like?"
She meant the media's fee-yooo! bald eagle screech.
"Fair misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?"
"That famous cry? Not a bald eagle. It's a red-tailed hawk."
"Whaaat?! A hawk?!"
"Red-tailed specifically."
Reina's eyes bulged like a kid learning Santa's fake.
"Why use another bird's call…? Movies, games, anime—all use fee-yooo as canon!"
"No deep reason. Just sounds cool."
"Whaaat?"
Hard to believe, but true.
"Real talk. America's symbol chirping peep pwak is too goofy. So they borrow the hawk's majestic roar—fits the noble look."
"Wow… but why not make the hawk the bird then?"
"Cool factor. That's it."
Reina looked dazed, but facts don't care.
Bald eagles: bitchy personality, goofy cry—but dive so handsome it crushes flaws.
As I tsked inwardly, Ssesco tsked outwardly.
"No no! Fly! You can do it! Fly! Good, flap… not walk!"
—Ugh, can't walk. Dying here. Do-hyun, come closer.
Like walking was its specialty, Ssesco waddled like a chicken, wings idle.
"Ssesco! Fly! You're an eagle, not a dog—the sky king, bald eagle!"
—Why back up?! Tired! Do-hyun! Stop!
Despite the keeper's desperate screams, Ssesco scratched earth with talons, sprinting.
Impressive, really.
Instinct says fly that distance—but legs only, wings still.
"Argh! Damn it! Ssesco! Fly now! Big shots next month!"
—Jeez. Stretch your arm.
Ssesco spread wings once: for the leap back to the keeper's arm.
"Hahaha! See? You did it! So cool! Our Ssesco rules the skies! The king! Wahaha!"
—Heok. Hek… Do-hyun. Stay still. Dizzy.
Closer look: not just Ssesco—keeper's off too.
No real flight beyond takeoff/landing, yet he coos and pats.
Ssesco panted, tongue out, wing over shoulder—like it nailed it.
Reina frowned.
"Ugh… that wing-drape is weirdly annoying. And it's handsome on top? Infuriating."
"Yeah. Time to fix it. Eun-seo."
"Yes, sunbae."
I turned to Choi Eun-seo.
"Got the gist. I'll exam and run tests. Can you clear out?"
"Hehe. Sure. Filming crew wants a tour of other aviaries anyway."
Her eyes sparkled camera-ready. I got the vast bald eagle aviary to myself with Ssesco.
"Hey. I'm—"
—I know. Chun-sam told me. You're—
"Okay, stop. You know why I'm here, so straight to it."
—What?
Dealt with plenty of whiners and cowards: timid ones like Ssesco need early dominance.
One indulgence, and it turns babyish.
"Heard bigwigs from your homeland next month?"
—Yeah. Keepers and vets mentioned. Pressure from above to perform… but you know it's not easy.
"I know. No one's changing that deep in a month without dying."
—D-dying? W-what're you planning?!
Ssesco flinched wings back, terrified.
I smiled.
"Not saying try hard. Just pretend."
—Pretend?