By Todd C. Frankel
Herald Writer
ARLINGTON — A bald eagle found wounded in Lynnwood was recovering Saturday at Sarvey Wildlife Center in Arlington.
The eagle was spotted in a swampy area by a jogger Friday night and was taken to the private wildlife rehabilitation center.
The eagle’s right wing shows heavy bruising and swelling, according to shelter staff. The eagle is alert, but it’s too early to know its long-term prognosis. The eagle is scheduled to have its wing X-rayed on Monday.
"We can’t decipher what’s going to happen to him without the X-rays," center staff member Rachel Larson said Saturday.
If the eagle’s wing is broken, the injury is likely fixable with the insertion of a pin and proper setting, Larson said. The center would need to keep the eagle for about a year.
If the wing is only bruised, the eagle could be ready to soar again in three to six months.
Bald eagle injuries are not uncommon, Larson said. In 2001, the center rehabilitated 12 bald eagles. Most of the birds were hit by vehicles or injured in fights with other eagles.
Including the Lynnwood eagle, three bald eagles are being rehabilitated at the center, plus two eagles being kept for educational purposes.
The newest arrival does not have a name. It is center policy to refrain from naming the animals because the hope is to return them to the wild.
You can call Herald Writer Todd C. Frankel at 425-339-3429 or send e-mail to frankel@heraldnet.com.
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