PATIENT: Bald Eagle, #11-2602

LOCATION OF RESCUE:  Caroline County, Virginia

INJURY: Lead toxicity

ADMISSION DATE: November 13, 2011

OUTCOME:  Died November 14, 2011

On Sunday, November 13, the Wildlife Center received a call about an adult Bald Eagle that was found by the side of the road in Caroline County.  A local permitted rehabilitator responded to the call, was able to capture the eagle, and transported it to the Center.

Veterinary Director Dr. Dave McRuer examined the eagle when it arrived — and found it to be very weak.  The eagle was not standing, was drooping its head, and was tremoring. Dr. Dave drew a small amount of blood to check for lead toxicity,  and the results were “off the charts” — a level that was too high for the Wildlife Center machine to read.

Chelation therapy was started immediately but, despite treatment, the Bald Eagle died later that night.  On Monday, November 14, Dr. Adam Naylor took radiographs of the Bald Eagle’s body to check for any lead pellets in the gastrointestinal tract.  None was visualized, suggesting that the lead had already passed through the bird’s system — but the damage had been done.

The Bald Eagle was banded.  Data from the National Bird Banding Laboratory indicated that the female eagle hatched in 2004 and was banded in 2006 in Perryville [Cecil County], Maryland.

Read more about curbing lead poisoning here.

Your donation will help the Wildlife Center of Virginia care for Bald Eagles as well as continue its participation in a nationwide study of lead levels in eagles and other high-risk birds.