On June 15, a mature Bald Eagle was found down on the ground fighting with another eagle at the King George County landfill. The eagle was rescued and taken to the Wild Bunch Wildlife Rehabilitation for treatment. The eagle was banded and was wearing a transmitter, which was reported to Conservation Science Global, Inc.
The eagle was transported to the Wildlife Center on June 17; Dr. Karra, the Center’s veterinary intern, examined the eagle when she arrived. Dr. Karra found that the eagle was bright and alert, and was in good body condition. There were no signs of ocular injury or deficits and no wounds or fractures were found. Radiographs revealed a few small metallic fragments in the eagle’s stomach, along with a thin metal wire.
A lead test revealed a level of 0.143 ppm; this is considered a “subclinical” level, meaning that treatment is not typically indicated. However, with the presence of the small metallic objects, the veterinary team will repeat the lead test in a few days to ensure the value isn’t increasing. Dr. Karra could not find anything significant that would explain the eagle’s inability to fly away; it’s possible that the fight with the other eagle caused a mild amount of trauma that led to soft tissue injury.
The eagle will be carefully monitored for any additional issues and will be evaluated in a flight pen if she continues to do well.
The executive director of Conservation Science Global is someone with whom Center staff communicate about transmitters on Bald Eagles; she was able to share that the eagle was fitted with a transmitter at Fort A.P. Hill [near Bowling Green, VA] in March 2015. The female eagle was four-years-old at the time.
