A group of birdwatchers were out on New Year’s Day at Waukegan Harbor when they spotted a large bird out on a small patch of ice, floating in the water. Upon a closer look, they realized it was a bald eagle and it was in trouble.
They contacted the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors. This group of volunteers rescues birds in distress all over the Chicagoland area. They came out to the scene and one of their members jumped into a kayak to help guide the eagle to safety.
In the video below, you can see Jim Tibensky carefully guide the eagle towards the shore. There, the rest of the team was waiting to grab the bird with a net. Once the bird was removed from the water, it was driven to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center where it will be cared for.
Watch the bald eagle rescued in the video below…
So what happened to this eagle and why was it floating out on such a small patch of ice? They believe the eagle may have ingested some rodent poison secondhand. The birds will often eat an animal that has been poisoned, causing them to become sick from the toxins. The eagle is being treated at the center and they hope it will make a full recovery.
I have featured the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors on the WGN Morning News in the past. You can see my full report on the work this group does to rescue birds that fly into downtown Chicago high rise buildings here….
You can learn more about the organization on their official Facebook page here.
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