A bald eagle was found tangled in Muscadine vines, struggling to fly. A caring citizen was going outside to feed his chickens when he saw an eagle on the ground. As he approached the eagle, the eagle took flight. He heard a noise around the corner, and to his surprise, there was another eagle on the ground stuck in some vines. He quickly called our von Arx Wildlife Hospital for assistance. Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager, Lauren and Veterinarian, Dr. Kendall Carlin, headed out to retrieve the eagle.
Eagles can be dangerous if you do not know how to properly handle or contain an eagle. They are strong birds with big talons and an injury can happen if not properly contained.
When we arrived at the location, the eagle was tangled in Muscadine vines and had flies all around him. We were able to successfully contain the eagle and free the bird from the vines.
At our wildlife hospital, a full exam was conducted. There were abrasions on both wrists and a small laceration around the leg. The bird also had multiple areas where flies started to lay eggs.
Based on the exam and history, we can assume that the two eagles may have gotten into a fight which led to one eagle getting tangled in the vines. Eagles can sometimes get into altercations because of protecting their territory and/or food.
The abrasions were probably from the struggle of trying to get untangled from the vines. Luckily, for this eagle, the rescuer noticed the eagle, and we were able to act fast, instead of the eagle staying tangled overnight and struggling.
The eagle received fluids, pain medications, antibiotics, and special medication to kill the fly eggs before they could hatch. The following day, the eagle was already alert and looking much better. This case was a quick turnaround due to the minor injuries. Within a week, the eagle was moved to one of our outdoor enclosures to start conditioning.
Proper conditioning in order to release an animal back to the wild, and subsequent evaluation of that conditioning for release readiness, must take into consideration multiple components including behavior, exercise, physical condition, food prehension and handling, waterproofing, acclimation to weather and overall health.
Each animal that is admitted to our wildlife hospital must meet the following criteria to be deemed release-ready:
- Has recovered from the presenting injury or illness
- Is an appropriate age to evade predators and survive independently (unless being reunited/renested)
- Recognizes/interacts appropriately with its own species
- Can successfully recognize and procure natural foods
- Recognizes predators and responds appropriately
- Is physically and mentally conditioned to properly perform the functions needed for that species to survive in the wild
- Displays species-appropriate behavior
- Is acclimated to current outside temperatures
- Is in complete plumage/pelage necessary for survival
- Exhibits no sign of active disease or injury obtained while in captivity
- Has received a pre-release exam and any testing necessary to ensure it is healthy at the time of release
After a couple of weeks, the eagle was successfully released back into the wild. Thank you to Wyndemere Country Club for opening their property up for us to release the eagle in a safe spot.
The von Arx Wildlife Hospital is open every day from 8am to 6pm. Call 239-262-2273 for wildlife assistance. We are located at 1495 Smith Preserve Way in Naples, Florida. Currently, the von Arx Wildlife Hospital is caring for 112 native animals.