Accident Prone Eagle Hurts Wing, Just 5 Weeks After Another Bad Injury
Some animals just can't stay out of trouble... and this Bald Eagle is no exception!
It's always unfortunate to see an animal injured on the side of the road. Accidents happen all the time, and luckily that's why DEC Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) are always on stand-by to help. Even for animals that are prone to injuries.
For this bird, we don't know if it's his own bad luck or carelessness... but thankfully he's gotten quick help right away both times.
Bald Eagle Down
ECO Burgess recently received the call of an injured bald eagle flying around the Elm Farm in Richmondville. Farmer Ken Bono had seen the eagle sitting on his fence the day before, and knew something wasn't right. The bird couldn't fly and appeared to have something wrong with its wing.
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By the time ECO Burgess arrived, the eagle had flown under a tree in the cow pasture. He didn't go without a fight, but after a short chase the officer was able to safely net the eagle. It appeared the farmer was right, "Americas Bird" was dealing with a rather severe wing injury.
Thankfully Ken called when he did, because this could have been so much worse.
A Familiar Face
The injured eagle was quickly transported to Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center in Hunter for treatment.
Bill Combs, a local eagle expert, was able to provide information on the bird's history. He noticed the eagle was banded, indicating he was previously released from rehabbing another injury. As it turns out, it happened just 5 weeks earlier at another center two hours away.
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So was this eagle cursed with bad luck, or was he just flying in a dangerous area? Regardless, I'm sure he's grateful to be getting help for his wing. The last thing people want is for an animal to suffer and starve in the wild, especially if the injury was caused by humans.