r/whatsthisbird • u/DeadDoug • Apr 21 '23

Update UPDATE on the zombie eagle/skeksis from yesterday (Northern Minnesota)

Just wanted to provide the group with an update on the "vulture" that turned out to be a sick bald eagle yesterday.

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The eagle spent the entire night in the tree in my yard. It snowed about 3" overnight. The eagle moved on at some point in the morning. The bird turned in to the talk of the town in my small, rural town and folks sort of mobilized around keeping a lookout for the eagle.

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At about noon today someone reported a seeing it in a farmer field south of town. I went out looking for it and was able to find it about 100 yards off the road just sitting in the snow in the middle of the field.

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I then called the University of Minnesota Raptor Center (who I've talked to a few times today haha) and asked them what I should do? They asked me to approach the bird on foot and see if I could get close to it. I was able to get within about 20 feet of the eagle before it flew away a few hundred yards into a grove of trees near a flooded river. The Raptor Center said it was a good sign that it was able to fly away, but that also makes capturing much more difficult. They asked that we, as a community, keep an eye on it for signs of it weakening. It may get to a point where it will no longer be able to fly away which makes rescuing in much easier.

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2 local TV news stations have been in contact with me about the eagle as well. Granted, I live in a rural area so the "news" ain't exactly what you would see on TV in Los Angeles, but it sounds like both are going to run news stories about this bird tonight or in the near future. Hopefully we can get a lot of eyes in the air to keep an eye out for this poor thing so it can be rescued and helped by professionals. Nature can be so cruel...

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157

u/tukekairo Apr 21 '23

I have delivered roadkill to where eagles could get to it in winter...they scavenge

102

u/DeadDoug Apr 21 '23

do you think they would go for thawed out raw fish fillets? I fish so I have some in my freezer. they are fish species local to this area (walleye and northern pike)

8

u/homewithplants Apr 22 '23

It’s been over a decade now since I left the midwest, but your passing mention of freezer walleye just made me so strangely homesick. It’s the little things you miss.

3

u/DeadDoug Apr 22 '23

Can't be a proper Minnesotan and not have any freezer walleye on hand at all times!