AARRRRGGGHHHHHHH ! ! ! ! !

Let me begin by saying I HATE ELECTROCUTIONS... This photo of a beautiful baby of last year was taken just a couple weeks ago shortly after he came to IBR. He had been found in a oil field unable to fly. As there were burns to both wrists it was obvious that he'd been electrocuted on one of the many power poles in the field. These kinds of injuries are horrible in that it takes some time for them to become apparent. In his case, he went from just two small wounds to seven, one large enough to damage the main blood vessel in his right wing. And to destroy the tendons near his left wrist. He was euthanized today and his body turned over to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as evidence.

I know that the power company is doing a lot to make these poles safer for the birds but obviously it can't be done all at the same time so until the job is completed there will be further electrocutions of these amazing raptors.