 It was determined that his body was intact structurally, but he exhibited symptoms of lead contamination. Blood tests confirmed the presence of lead at slightly toxic levels. This is an all-too-common problem in sub-adult eagles that are exposed to heavy metals in the course of their normal existence, especially in the West, where such substances are created as by-products of extractive activities. The bird's condition was complicated by aspergillosis, a fungal disease of the lungs that attacks young raptors with depressed immune systems. Luckily, the bird was in the early stages and treatment was initiated immediately.
|
The final indignity
|
Newly trimmed beak
|
His blood count returned to normal as the level of lead dropped, and his pulmonary system also recovered slowly as the aspergillosis responded to treatment. He was placed in a 60-ft. enclosure and began flight therapy when his aerobic capacity reached the appropriate level. After several weeks of building flight muscles and skills, he was allowed to again experience hunting his own food in the flight cage, and then we knew he was ready.
 Arrangements were made and last Sunday, Liberty volunteers Linda Scott, Michael Ziffer, and I arrived at Liberty at 8:00 in the morning. Joe Miller took the bird out of his enclosure and Jan gave him a final exam, trimmed his beak (the talons and beaks of some captive eagles often require trimming - or "coping") and loaded him into a carrier for transport. The trip took nearly four hours, the last 15 miles of which were on unpaved roads. The town of Ruby is an official Arizona Ghost Town about 70 miles southwest of Tucson, just a few miles above the Mexican border. Sundog and a few of his friends met us and again we drove off on a dusty mountain road to a spot on the side of a steep hill. This spot was chosen because it was very close to where the bird was originally found. As Sundog and his friends looked on, and with the wind blowing upslope at a good velocity, we all made our wishes for the bird's future (a tradition at Liberty releases!), Linda opened the door and in only a few seconds, the beautiful eagle burst forth and took wing, free for the first time in almost a year.
 We had been a little apprehensive about his possible performance during the release, not because he wasn't rehabilitated properly, but in the last few weeks of his captivity, he had exhibited some "laziness" when it came to flying any distance, preferring to land and walk or run after only a few laps of the enclosure. But he certainly surprised us when he felt the wind under his wings and flew effortlessly out across the valley, flapping occasionally, soaring like the master of the sky that he was. Rounding one of the knobby hills, we looked up and saw two adult golden eagles appear overhead! In all probability, these were his parents, who were no doubt surprised to see him return. Eagles will chase their offspring out of their territory when they are old enough to be successful on their own, and the two adults had most likely thought he had left for good last summer. A brief interaction ensued involving the adults exhibiting their dominance and the youthful intruder gradually soaring around the mountain to find his own territory. The presence of a multitude of turkey vultures (and the two adult goldens!) indicated that there was probably more than sufficient prey to go around. The handsome young bird who was just now molting in his adult plumage was home at last, and the world was his to conquer!
Three Liberty Wildlife volunteers began the long drive back with joy in our hearts.
|
The moment arrives
|
Making a break
|
Free at last
|
New kid in town
|
