This female bald eagle is less than one year old. Successfully capturing the bird after it was more than likely hit by a car required a group effort from five Texada Island residents.
When most birds are injured and unable to fly to escape captors, they become agile sprinters. In this instance, the bald eagle outran all five humans and hid in some dense shrubbery. They circled the bushes she sought refuge in and eventually captured and wrapped her in a blanket within a dog crate.
The eagle frightened ferry staff as she rocked the crate around on the trip over to Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society. She was flown to Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society in Delta the next day, and while her wing was in pretty bad shape, she is healing well and will be returned to Texada.
This bald eagle has been tested for lead and mercury poisoning, as other eagles have been discovered to have lead poisoning in their guts due to eating waterfowl injured by gunshots. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include impairment of peripheral vision, lack of coordination and muscle weakness.
