RETURN TO THE WILD - Gunshot Eagle to be Released
Cascades Raptor Center will release an immature bald eagle on Thursday,
April 2, 2009, at 5:30 pm, at Armitage Park in North Eugene - weather
permitting. You are invited - and parking is free during the
event. We suggest you get there a little early in order to be
sure you can
find us down by the river. This bird was shot and has been in
care for six weeks because of a broken wing.
The young eagle - estimated to be just under two years old - was seen
caught up in weeds in the McKenzie River off Deerhorn Road on February
15th. Greg Montgomery put on his waders, cleverly grabbed a
catcher's mitt and, once he had waded out to where the eagle was
entangled, offered
the bird the mitt to grab and then towed him to shore. CRC sent
volunteers to capture the bird. The eagle was too weak and hypothermic
from
being
shot to get himself out of the water and was still huddled on the banks
of the river where Mr Montgomery had left him to call CRC.
X-rays indicated five pellets had hit the bird, one of which broke the
ulna in his wing. Pellets were also lodged in his neck just under his
head,
near his spine further down the neck, and elsewhere in his wing.
Although bald eagles were finally removed from the Endangered Species
list in
2007, they are still federally protected under the Bald and Golden
Eagle Act and the Migratory Bird Treat Act, as well as state
protected.
Shooting an eagle is a federal offense and this case is being
investigated by US Fish & Wildlife Law Enforcement.
Bald eagle populations have recovered well from
a precipitous decline in the mid-twentieth century due to DDT
poisoning, and are now nesting in
several places near Eugene. This makes the release of an eagle a
bit more complicated during nesting season. Armitage Park will
give this
eagle good access to the McKenzie River for hunting but is a couple of
miles from the nearest bald eagle nest. Lane County Parks has
kindly
waived their parking fees for people coming to watch the release.
Immature bald eagles lack the signature white
head and tail of the mature adults, but are full-sized. Like most
birds, they are full grown when
they leave the nest and often seem larger than the adults because their
primary flight feathers, and tail feathers, are longer (think of
training
wheels) than the adults'.
To find Armitage Park, go north on Coburg Road
from Eugene and turn left into the park just before you cross the
McKenzie River. Hope to see
you there!
