On February 15, a private citizen was walking to work when she saw a Bald Eagle fall from a tree near Stratford Hall in Westmoreland County. The bird hopped around on the ground but was unable to fly; a conservation police officer was able to capture the bird and took it to a wildlife rehabilitator before the eagle was transferred to the Wildlife Center. An employee at Stratford Hall mentioned that she heard an eagle the night before, possibly fighting with another eagle.
Dr. Monica, the Center’s veterinary intern, examined the eagle on arrival. The female eagle was bright and alert, but had a low heart rate and an increased respiratory rate. The eagle had bruising on her keel and dried blood around her nares [nostrils]. Dr. Monica also noted some superficial abrasions on the bird’s feet as well as an old bumblefoot lesion on the bird’s left foot.
Radiographs indicated evidence of internal trauma as well as a mildly enlarged heart; no fractures were noted. Dr. Monica gave the eagle fluids, anti-inflammatories, and a dose of atropine to help increase the bird’s low heart rate. The eagle was placed in a crate in the Center’s holding room for the night.
In the days following, the bird’s heart rate stabilized; it’s likely that the low rate on admission was due to trauma. On February 20, the eagle was moved to a small outdoor enclosure for observation.
