MONROE — A bald eagle was found injured on the side of U.S. 2 east of Monroe around 10:30 a.m. Friday and died about an hour later.
It’s unclear how the eagle was injured, said Sgt. Mark Francis, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. Officials believe the bird may have flown into low-hanging power lines nearby.
Three passersby stopped to help the bird. The State Patrol received two calls: One person reported that an eagle was dead on the side of the highway; the other said the bird was alive but badly hurt. Troopers responded to the scene near the highway’s intersection with Sofie Road.
The state Department of Fish &Wildlife sent officers as well. One of the passersby stayed with the eagle until they arrived about an hour after the call. He wrapped the eagle in blue, pink and purple towels.
The eagle died just before wildlife officers arrived, Francis said.
“Our officers responded and found the eagle dead on the side of the road,” said Craig Bartlett, a spokesman for the Department of Fish &Wildlife.
Separately, an eagle that became stuck upside down in a tree in Bothell on Feb. 17 is recovering. Experts with Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington helped rescue that eagle. Earlier this month, the center reported that the eagle was doing well and had been moved to a larger enclosure.
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