Spectacular Bald Eagle Release

We were thrilled to successfully release an American Bald Eagle Tuesday Sept 22, 2009. This i

s only the second one that I have treated since my employ for the past 6 years at the Miami

Science Museum. It is a first year juvenile and missing the trademark white head feathers of the adult bird. They will grow in at around its 4th-5th year.

This bird was sighted on a golf course eating what seemed to be a duck early in the morning a week before. Later that day, the finder Daniela Ruiz reported seeing it in the lake struggling. By the time Florida Fish and Wildlife officer Miranda arrived, it was floating motionless in the water.

Our director, Greta Mealey received the bird that night and administered emergency care. The next morning, the bird was alive, alert, and to say the least, very feisty. We believe that it was perhaps exhausted, waterlogged and perhaps a little hypothermic after its struggle to get out of the water. It may have encountered a toxin or some sort of trauma. It was most definitely in shock and would have died without the intervention of all parties involved.

The bird stayed with us for a week as the blood values were a little questionable and we wanted to make sure that it was as healthy as possible. In addition, it was eating well and seemed to be

calm and unstressed once introduced to our flight enclosure. Periodically we administered more fluids and monitored the weight. Finally this eagle was ready to spread its wings once again.

I don't think I need to point out the smiles on every one's faces. We were all very excited.

The day of release was a special event and the finder and officer were both in attendance as well as some media, family members of the finder, and a couple of friends and associates from the Museum. Brian Mealey, of the Institute of Wildlife Sciences placed a federal band on the eagle's leg and it was placed on the ground about 100 feet from the place first seen. See for yourself, as words cannot describe this. What a great time to post a video!