EDMONDS — Three weeks ago, Mountlake Terrace residents near Ballinger Park found an injured bald eagle struggling in their backyard. The people called PAWS, a local adoption and wildlife rehabilitation center, to retrieve the raptor.
When PAWS staffers arrived to retrieve the injured eagle, they found the bird anemic and bruised.
After three weeks of rehabilitation, PAWS wildlife naturalist Anthony Denice and seasonal carpenter Pat Kent released the eagle in Ballinger Park, roughly half mile from where it was originally found.
The eagle immediately hopped out of the large plastic kennel padded with foam and flew off to a pine tree, where it perched for a few minutes before taking off again.
A few moments later, the eagle was seen flying a loop around the park field with another bald eagle, before the pair disappeared among the trees.
Because of the eagle’s symptoms, the PAWS team suspects the bird fell victim to rodenticide poisoning, a pesticide for killing rodents.
“While our team can’t confirm rodenticide was the culprit in this case, the eagle’s bloodwork and extensive bruising were consistent with that possibility,” Ian Gadbaw, a veterinary technician for PAWS wrote in an email.
Rodenticide can be an anti-coagulant, which leads to the odd bruising, Denice said at the eagle’s release. Treatment can require medication and sometimes blood transfusions.
The PAWS team was recently part of a study that found most wild raptors have traces of rodenticide toxins in their blood, indicating a widespread problem.
“Once the most intensive care is completed, animals often need extended stays to regain their full abilities,” Denice wrote in an email. “Eagles, for example, often spend weeks in spacious enclosures eating specialized diets before they are strong enough to return to the wild.”
If you are aware of a raptor or other bird that is unable to fly or is visibly sick, PAWS recommends creating a safe perimeter around the animal and calling a licensed wildlife rehabilitator such as PAWS for assistance. It can be helpful to cover the bird with a sheet or box, Denice said.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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