Bald Eagle was simply too fat to fly

[Melensdad]

Apparently a bald eagle was thought to have been injured.

Turns out it was just fat from over-eating.

Bald eagle believed to be injured in Missouri was just ‘too fat to fly,’ wildlife officials say

A bald eagle that appeared to have trouble flying was healthy, according to officials who say the bird was just weighed down after feasting on roadkill.

www.foxnews.com

Bald eagle believed to be injured in Missouri was just ‘too fat to fly,’ wildlife officials say​

Bald eagle unable to fly at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield had just eaten roadkill​

August 25, 2024 11:43am EDT

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A bald eagle initially thought to be injured because it couldn’t fly was found to be healthy after wildlife officials determined the bird was just "too fat" after feasting on roadkill.

The bald eagle was found along the boundary of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, said officials at the park, which is part of the U.S. National Park Service.

After the Missouri Department of Conservation captured the bird for rehabilitation, wildlife officials determined the bird was fine when X-ray tests showed the real reason why the eagle couldn’t fly.

"The bird, originally reported to be injured, was found to be healthy but engorged with raccoon – in other words, too fat to fly," officials said in a post on social media.

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The bald eagle was initially reported to be injured after it appeared to have trouble flying. (Wilson's Creek National Battlefield )
The X-rays taken at the Dickerson Park Zoo show the outline of what wildlife officials suspect is raccoon roadkill inside the eagle's stomach.

X-rays of a bald eagle appear to show the outline of a raccoon paw inside its distended stomach. (Wilson's Creek National Battlefield )
The agency released a photo that shows what appears to be a raccoon paw in the bird’s stomach, and a second photo showing the predator’s distended stomach.

While fish comprise about 70% to 90% of an eagle's diet, the bird "will feed on what is most available, and requiring the least amount of energy to acquire it," according to the American Bald Eagle Foundation.

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Wildlife officials later released the eagle near where it was found in the park in compliance with federal and state laws.

The bald eagle was later released back into the park near where wildlife officials initially captured the bird.(Wilson's Creek National Battlefield )

 

[Doc]

So unusual, I have to wonder what in the world he was eating to overeat and not be able to fly.

But that reminds me, we are seeing so many more eagles than we ever saw last century. they seem to be thriving. Yet the link in Bob's post says "the eagle population is in serious threat".
Excerpt from the article:

He said this has been seen on every continent as people hunt animals and leave bullets behind, as well as avian scavengers — birds that eat dead animals, which may then have remnants of ammunition embedded in their bodies.

Researchers found that of 448 birds from around the U.S., 50% of the winged animals had evidence of chronic lead poisoning, according to a recent USGS and collaborator's paper published at Science.org.

"In this case, 'chronic' means 'repeated exposure,' meaning 50% of the eagles were getting exposed to lead again and again," Katzner said.

The eagles we see are near the river and mostly catch and eat fish, at least that's what we see.
Are eagles making a comeback in your area of the country?

 

[bczoom]

Are eagles making a comeback in your area of the country?

Never saw any where I live until about 5 years ago. Now I see them somewhat regularly.