By . Simon Tomlinson . Perched imperiously on top of a wooden display cabinet, it looks rather like something brought home from the taxidermist.But this eagle was very much alive, swooping into a living room through a set of open patio doors. The bird, a steppe eagle called Storm, landed on the cabinet and then knocked over a selection of ornaments with its 4ft wings and pecked at a bowl of pot-pourri. Scroll down for video . In a flap: Jon Ball from Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue captures an eagle after it flew into retired teacher Wendy Morrell's living room while she was watching television . Easy does it: Bird-of-prey expert John Ball spent 30 minutes coaxing the young eagle, called Storm, off its makeshift perch using a dead chick . Wendy Morrell had just settled down to watch the French Open tennis final when the 18ins tall bird of prey flew through open patio doors and into her lounge in Poole, Dorset. Wendy’s friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the big bird down. When that failed, the pair placed pieces of ham outside in a bid to tempt it but with no joy. They then phoned a local bird of prey rescue centre and an expert spent 30 minutes coaxing the eagle eagle onto his glove using a dead chick. He then took the young eagle back to the rescue centre where he gave it some food. It was later reunited with its owner . and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm . and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site. The eagle had been reported missing three days prior to turning up at Wendy’s . house after it was frightened by a loud bang and broke its tethers. Poser: The eagle looks like an ornament as it perches on Wendy Morrell's wooden display cabinet . Flight and fright: Wendy's friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the bird down and then put ham outside to tempt it outside, but with no joy . Wendy, a retired maths teacher aged in her 50s, said: 'We were about to watch the final of the French Open tennis when this big black thing swooped into the room. 'We have had small birds fly into the patio doors before and I thought it might have happened again but then Karen said "it’s an eagle". 'We couldn’t believe it. Initially there was total panic - our two dogs were in the front room and they both jumped to their feet and started barking. 'We took them into a bedroom and shut the door then went back into the lounge to get a proper look. 'There was the huge eagle, around 18 inches tall, sat on top of the wooden glass cabinet. 'It had knocked over a few ornaments and then started pecking away at a bowl of potpourri. 'We thought about trying to tempt it . back outside and tried putting ham outside but it didn’t work so we . called the police who put us in touch with Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue. 'They . came out quickly and thankfully they were able to get the eagle down . from the top of the cabinet without it damaging anything or getting . hurt.' Coaxing it down: The bird was reunited with its owner and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site . The Russian Steppe eagle - Aquila nipalensis in Latin - originate from Russia, Mongolia and Romania and winter in Africa and India. They can grow to 2.5ft tall with a wingspan of up to 7ft. They favour open dry habitats, such as the desert or steppes (grassland plains). They feed mostly on carrion, but will also hunt rodents and small mammals as well as small birds. Steppe eagles often prefer to scavenge and are known to steal food from other raptors. Like some other birds, they have a crop (thin-walled, expanding area) in their throats which enables them to store food for several hours before digesting them. Terri Hall, who runs Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue with her husband Jon, said: 'We got a call from a lady yesterday afternoon saying there was a bird of prey sat in her front room. 'We thought it might be a small bird like a sparrowhawk but when we got to her house there was this huge Russian Steppe eagle sat on a cabinet. 'Jon tempted the eagle down onto his glove with a dead chick and we took it back to the rescue centre where we gave it some food. 'Its owner came to pick it up and was very relieved to have it back again. 'He is training it to scare off seagulls at a landfill site where he works and it had broken its tethers after being frightened by a loud bang at the site.' Mr Moore said the eagle was recovering at his home after the ordeal. He said: 'He broke his tethers and flew off. I knew it was only a matter of time until he turned up somewhere but the question was where that would be. 'I'm very pleased to have him back safe and well. He is weathering out and relaxing at home now. 'I have spoken to Wendy and apologised for ruining her tennis match!' Mr Moore is a professional falconer who flies birds of prey at industrial sites to scare off seagulls. He said: 'I have owned Storm for three months now. He was rescued from his previous owners who had not cared for him very well. 'He was in a real state when he came to me but now he's 100 per cent better. 'I have eight falcons which I fly at sites to keep seagulls away and I decided to take Storm to work with me. 'However there is a concrete yard close to the site and a loud bang spooked him.'
Russian Steppe eagle flew in through patio doors and perched on cabinet .
Shocked homeowner had just settled down to watch French Open tennis .
Her friend tried to lure 18in-tall bird down wearing thick jacket and gloves .
They also put pieces of ham outside in bid to tempt it away, but with no joy .
Bird-of-prey expert was finally called to coax it down using a dead chick .
Storm escaped while being trained to ward off seagulls at a landfill site .
Owner delighted to have him back and apologises for 'ruining' tennis match .
By . Simon Tomlinson . Perched imperiously on top of a wooden display cabinet, it looks rather like something brought home from the taxidermist.But this eagle was very much alive, swooping into a living room through a set of open patio doors. The bird, a steppe eagle called Storm, landed on the cabinet and then knocked over a selection of ornaments with its 4ft wings and pecked at a bowl of pot-pourri. Scroll down for video . In a flap: Jon Ball from Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue captures an eagle after it flew into retired teacher Wendy Morrell's living room while she was watching television . Easy does it: Bird-of-prey expert John Ball spent 30 minutes coaxing the young eagle, called Storm, off its makeshift perch using a dead chick . Wendy Morrell had just settled down to watch the French Open tennis final when the 18ins tall bird of prey flew through open patio doors and into her lounge in Poole, Dorset. Wendy’s friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the big bird down. When that failed, the pair placed pieces of ham outside in a bid to tempt it but with no joy. They then phoned a local bird of prey rescue centre and an expert spent 30 minutes coaxing the eagle eagle onto his glove using a dead chick. He then took the young eagle back to the rescue centre where he gave it some food. It was later reunited with its owner . and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm . and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site. The eagle had been reported missing three days prior to turning up at Wendy’s . house after it was frightened by a loud bang and broke its tethers. Poser: The eagle looks like an ornament as it perches on Wendy Morrell's wooden display cabinet . Flight and fright: Wendy's friend Karen Ruddlesden put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection and tried to lure the bird down and then put ham outside to tempt it outside, but with no joy . Wendy, a retired maths teacher aged in her 50s, said: 'We were about to watch the final of the French Open tennis when this big black thing swooped into the room. 'We have had small birds fly into the patio doors before and I thought it might have happened again but then Karen said "it’s an eagle". 'We couldn’t believe it. Initially there was total panic - our two dogs were in the front room and they both jumped to their feet and started barking. 'We took them into a bedroom and shut the door then went back into the lounge to get a proper look. 'There was the huge eagle, around 18 inches tall, sat on top of the wooden glass cabinet. 'It had knocked over a few ornaments and then started pecking away at a bowl of potpourri. 'We thought about trying to tempt it . back outside and tried putting ham outside but it didn’t work so we . called the police who put us in touch with Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue. 'They . came out quickly and thankfully they were able to get the eagle down . from the top of the cabinet without it damaging anything or getting . hurt.' Coaxing it down: The bird was reunited with its owner and falconer James Moore who revealed the young bird was called Storm and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site . The Russian Steppe eagle - Aquila nipalensis in Latin - originate from Russia, Mongolia and Romania and winter in Africa and India. They can grow to 2.5ft tall with a wingspan of up to 7ft. They favour open dry habitats, such as the desert or steppes (grassland plains). They feed mostly on carrion, but will also hunt rodents and small mammals as well as small birds. Steppe eagles often prefer to scavenge and are known to steal food from other raptors. Like some other birds, they have a crop (thin-walled, expanding area) in their throats which enables them to store food for several hours before digesting them. Terri Hall, who runs Wessex Bird of Prey Rescue with her husband Jon, said: 'We got a call from a lady yesterday afternoon saying there was a bird of prey sat in her front room. 'We thought it might be a small bird like a sparrowhawk but when we got to her house there was this huge Russian Steppe eagle sat on a cabinet. 'Jon tempted the eagle down onto his glove with a dead chick and we took it back to the rescue centre where we gave it some food. 'Its owner came to pick it up and was very relieved to have it back again. 'He is training it to scare off seagulls at a landfill site where he works and it had broken its tethers after being frightened by a loud bang at the site.' Mr Moore said the eagle was recovering at his home after the ordeal. He said: 'He broke his tethers and flew off. I knew it was only a matter of time until he turned up somewhere but the question was where that would be. 'I'm very pleased to have him back safe and well. He is weathering out and relaxing at home now. 'I have spoken to Wendy and apologised for ruining her tennis match!' Mr Moore is a professional falconer who flies birds of prey at industrial sites to scare off seagulls. He said: 'I have owned Storm for three months now. He was rescued from his previous owners who had not cared for him very well. 'He was in a real state when he came to me but now he's 100 per cent better. 'I have eight falcons which I fly at sites to keep seagulls away and I decided to take Storm to work with me. 'However there is a concrete yard close to the site and a loud bang spooked him.'
television . Easy does it: Bird-of-prey expert using a dead chick . Wendy Morrell had just settled down to watch the French Open tennis through open patio doors and into her lounge in put on a winter jacket and gloves for protection failed, the pair placed pieces of ham outside in a bid to tempt it but with no joy. They then trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill protection and tried to lure the bird down and called Storm and was being trained to ward off seagulls at a nearby landfill site . The Russian Steppe eagle sat on a cabinet. 'Jon tempted the be. 'I'm very pleased to have him back safe and