Runnells HY16 bald eagle

Admission Date: 26 May 2017
Outcome: Released 27 August 2017 at the Iowa Arboretum
Location of Rescue: near Runnells in Polk County
Cause of Admission / Condition: Grounded, unable to fly
Patient Status: Patient Archive, Success Stories

SOAR volunteer Deb transported a lively juvenile eagle that was rescued from a ditch along a gravel road near Runnells in Polk County. We believe this female to be a hatch-year 2016 (HY16) bird. She is a bit thin at 10.5 pounds and no fractures to the wings or legs. Her biggest issue and likely added to her needing rescue… she is missing six tail feathers. The tail feathers are already starting to grow back, so this injury / incident happened before she ended up in the ditch.

Updates:

6 June 2017
Runnells is starting to make short flight attempts today. When she was first in the flight pen, only walked.

1 June 2017
After a few days in an ICU crate, she was moved to the 100' flight pen, her exuberance said, "move me, please, now."