Bald Eagle Rescued In Maryland May Have Been Hit By Car [Video]

An injured bald eagle was rescued in the River Road area of Maryland on Thursday.

Bald eagles are currently protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Act, but it wasn’t too long ago that the bald eagle was also protected by the Endangered Species Act.

The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States for over two centuries, but many factors led to a population decline in the past. In 2007, the eagle species was finally able to recover enough to be removed from the endangered species list. Still, human development has been invading their habitat, forcing the majestic birds to scavenge more, eating from landfills and picking at roadkill.

That’s what authorities of the Montgomery County Police Department believe happened this week when a bald eagle was found injured in Maryland. They believe the eagle was feasting on a dead deer when it was hit by a car.

A resident of the area called the police just before 9 a.m., Thursday, to let authorities know that a bald eagle had been spotted. According to the Washington Post, the resident told authorities that the eagle seemed injured and had walked into the nearby woods, seemingly unable to fly.

Jennifer Gill, an officer with the Animal Services Division, was dispatched to the area.

The Montgomery County Police Department posted about the rescue on their Facebook page.

“Officer Gill located the eagle in the woods. It appeared that the bird had an injury that prevented it from flying. Officer Gill wrapped the eagle in towels and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Officer Danny Thomas assisted Gill in placing the eagle in a carrier for safe transport to the Owl Moon Raptor Center, a wildlife rehabilitation center specializing in birds of prey.”

Officer Gill named the bald eagle “Trust.”

At the Owl Moon Raptor Center, Trust was seen by vets and diagnosed with internal bleeding and an injury to the left shoulder.

Later in the day, the center issued an update on Facebook to tell people how the bald eagle was doing.

“We received this beautiful bald eagle this morning from Montgomery County Police Animal Services Division and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service this morning. She was likely hit by a vehicle on River Road, probably feeding on a nearby roadside deer carcass and sustained some impact injuries. There was some internal bleeding and a shoulder injury. She appears to be feeling a little better tonight after receiving lots of fluids, and medicine for pain and inflammation. We’ll take her to Bennett Creek Animal Hospital for x-rays and further evaluation when she is stable and stronger. Keep fingers crossed she continues to improve!”

By Friday, a wildlife rehabilitator at the Owl Moon Raptor Center, Suzanne Shoemaker was able to report to NBC Washington that the bald eagle was doing much better. The bleeding in Trust’s mouth had stopped and she was feasting on fresh fish given to her by employees of the center.

Despite the good news, the rehabilitator was still unsure of how bad the injury to Trust’s shoulder was, or when the bald eagle would be able to fly again. According to Shoemaker, the shoulder didn’t seem broken, but they would have to wait for the x-rays to be completely sure. The center wanted to be sure the eagle was strong enough before transporting her to where the pictures could be taken.

Car accidents are a big threat to the bald eagle population now that they are being forced to scavenge roadkill more often. If you see an injured eagle, however, be sure not to touch it. Instead, call law enforcement for aid. There are federal laws that prohibit bald eagles from being disturbed.

[ Photo by Owl Moon Raptor Center Facebook ]