Rescue, Rehabilitate, Release

Meet patient 26-68, an adult male Bald Eagle who became critically injured after an intense fight with another eagle. As February rolls around, mature eagles will often engage in altercations to defend their territory, mate, and/or nest. The results can be fatal, but that’s why we are here to help!

Our colleagues at City Wildlife stabilized the eagle before arranging transportation from Washington D.C. to our clinic in Newark, DE, and the Tri-State rehabilitation journey began.

His injuries were severe: deep wounds from talons scattered across the head and body, including one dangerously close to his left eye and another leaving part of his skull exposed. Staff weren't sure if he would survive.

He was placed in a large outdoor enclosure to encourage regular flight practice and self-feeding as he recovered. Cameras in this space helped with remote monitoring as staff assessed his behavior and progress without additional stress on the bird.

Six surgeries were performed to clean, close, and protect his many wounds over six weeks, followed by close monitoring and regular examinations. Eventually, our hard work paid off when we found his flight was strong and his wounds had resolved!

Over a month after arriving, this eagle is headed back home, and we are ready to continue our lifesaving work with the next injured bird in need.

His case is a heartfelt reminder of the importance of collaboration in wildlife conservation as well as what is possible when two organizations work hand in hand to save a life. Not only was this eagle’s individual life saved, but we’ve also given generations of eagles to come back to the environment.