An American Bald Eagle in ice covered tree. Photo by Mark Bronson Meier

As I have mentioned in previous articles the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission issues the rehabilitation license we work under at the Witter Wildlife Refuge.  There is a separate Federal license required to handle birds and yet a third specialty license to legally work with Bald Eagles.

We have not had occasion to work with an Eagle here in Witter but there are some fascinating stories from other members of The Arkansas Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Association I will share with you.

One story involved a semi truck driver that pulled into an Arkansas truck stop to discover a full grown Bald Eagle on the grill of his truck.  Miraculously it was still alive.  A State Trooper that was also a wildlife rehabilitator transported it in the back of a patrol car almost 60 miles to get veterinary care.  The officer did not have a cage at the time so it was a hair raising ride hoping the eagle did not wake up. These birds have up to a 7 foot wingspan and can literally break bones with their talons.

As I remember the story the Eagle did recover after many weeks of rehabilitation and was eventually released.

Another Eagle rescue involved a bird so comatosed it was completely limp for days  before regaining its senses.  The rehabilitator kept it in the bath tub (without water) for those initial days so that she could monitor it around the clock.  The bird had to be force fed and cleaned several times a day as it was unable to do anything for itself.  The tub was perfect in that the sides of the tub provided support for the crippled eagle as well as affording easy clean up of messes.  Imagine the shock if an unwary house guest slid back the shower curtain to discover an Eagle in the tub.

The Eagle did come around and was moved to a flight cage to build up its muscles.  It too was successfully released.

Bald Eagles are found only in North America. The females get larger than the males generally weighing between 12 to 13 pounds.  Bald Eagles do not get their familiar white head and tail until age five.   Prior to that they are brown and white.  Eagles live up to 35 years in the wild and up to 50 in captivity.

Fish is the preferred food of Eagles but they will eat small mammals and carrion if fish is not readily available.  They can fly at 30 miles per hour and dive at speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

They can spot fish from over a mile away.  They catch fish in flight clutching it with their talons and carrying it off.  They can lift about five pounds and there have been a few documented cases in which an Eagle drowned trying to lift too big a fish.

Like many birds, Bald Eagles mate for life.  They can lay up to three eggs in late Spring.  It is not uncommon for a four month old eagle to look larger than its parents because they have exceptionally long flight feathers that help them learn to fly.

Because Eagles are one of the highest flying birds their are many legends that link the bird with the heavens.  Native North Americans believed a super eagle “Thunderbird” created thunder and lightning by flapping its wings.  Several Indian legends refer to the Eagle as the messenger from the Great Spirit.

From a scientific stand point Eagles are an excellent means to gage the ecological system in the areas they live since they are at the top of the food chain.  Eagles are among the first to disappear if the system is unhealthy. 

Eagles were listed as endangered in 1978 and protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Migrator Bird Treaty Act, and the Bald Eagle Protection Act. In 1995 the Bald Eagle was upgraded from “endangered” to “threatened” but it is still fully protected by all of the above legislation.

DONATIONS NEEDED If you would like to help any donation amount  it is greatly appreciated.  Donations should be made out to Witter Wildlife Refuge and can be sent to P.O. Box 1118, Huntsville AR 72740.

See web page under "HOW YOU CAN HELP" for specific ways you can help us help wildlife