On May 10, an adult female Bald Eagle was admitted to the Center after she was likely hit by a vehicle in Portsmouth, Virginia. The eagle was first taken to Nature's Nanny Wildlife Rehabilitation for stabilization; wildlife rehabilitator Dana Lusher noted that the eagle was banded with both a silver federal band and a purple state band used by the Center for Conservation Biology. Band reports from the "RU" band indicated that the bird hatched in 2016 in a nest in Virginia Beach. This eagle is the offspring of "ND", who was the 2010 offspring from the famous Norfolk Botanical Garden nest; the Center has treated two other offspring of ND's in the past [#16-1664 and #18-1139].
At admission, the eagle was bright, alert, responsive, and standing. Dr. Ernesto, the Center's hospital director, found that the eagle had actively bleeding lacerations in both ears, an injury to the right eye, blood in her mouth, and an old wound on the leading edge of her left wing. The eagle was also having difficulty breathing. Radiographs confirmed signs of severe internal trauma.
The veterinary team treated the eagle with fluids and placed her in a quiet, dark location. The eagle's prognosis is guarded due to the severity of the internal trauma, as well as the injury to the bird's right eye.
