April 26, 2019 at 3:57 p.m.
Eagle struck by vehicle, rescued by Northwoods Wildlife Center
Eagle struck by vehicle, rescued by Northwoods Wildlife Center
By Jacob Friede-
The eagle, which was feeding on a deer carcass, was struck by a vehicle and sent skidding across the road. The driver continued on, but a member of a nearby road crew was able to contact the NWC who quickly dispatched rescue personnel.
The eagle was taken to the NWC where it was found the bird has sustained very serious injuries.
"When we did an X-ray we found that it had a clavicle fracture on its left side so we're stabilizing that, for now, with a wing wrap," NWC advanced wildlife rehabilitator Amanda Walsh said. "So far he's doing OK and he's starting to eat on his own as well. He was dehydrated a bit. He had some head trauma which had caused him to be bleeding out of his mouth a little bit. So we were tube feeding him for a couple of days, but he's graduated to eating on his own, small amounts of venison, and then today he's perching."
In addition to having its wounds cleaned, the eagle was given medication and had a blood sample taken so its lead toxicity levels could be tested.
"It's a big thing here since our eagles are scavengers and they feed off of gut piles and things that have lead ammunition in them," Walsh said. "Fortunately this eagle did not have lead levels at a toxic level at all so we won't have to treat it for that, which is excellent."
The eagle will recuperate for another few weeks before it is admitted to the outdoor aviary at the NWC. For now, it's an indoor patient.
And it brought it's own ID.
The eagle was found to be banded by Sean Strom and his team at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It was banded on June 1, 2015, when it was 33 days old, as part of the Wisconsin Bald Eagle Bio-Sentinel Program in Eagle River.
"It's exciting as a person that bands," Walsh said. "A lot of times you don't hear back about the birds that you band, if they made it or what, if the bird passed away or whatever, so getting a report on a band is kind of awesome."
Especially when it states the eagle is in the good, caring hands of the Northwoods Wildlife Center.
Jacob Friede may be reached at [email protected] or outdoors@
lakelandtimes.com.
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