Bird most likely struck by vehicle while scavenging on the road, biologist says
A female adult bald eagle found injured in Beauregard Parish by a work crew late in October was rehabbed and returned to the wild, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
A Lafitte Harvesting work crew conducting a thinning operation for Georgia Pacific found the eagle, which appeared sickly, sitting between the rows of pine trees and contacted LDWF on Oct. 29.
Biologists captured the bird and transported it to Heckhaven Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, which determined the eagle’s bill was cracked and its nasal passages were clogged with blood, but was otherwise very healthy.
LDWF zoologist Beau Gregory concluded the bird was most likely struck by a vehicle while scavenging on the road, the release states.
The eagle spent more than a week at Heckhaven recuperating, and was cleared for release as soon as she was flying again. The eagle was then returned to the site where she was captured and released back into the wild.
According to the release, bald eagles are found only in North America, and in Louisiana they are usually located in coastal areas and on large lakes inland. They are protected by the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, which prohibits the taking, possession and commerce of bald eagles and golden eagles.
For more information on Louisiana’s bald eagles, click here.
