On Friday I got a call from Tim Fagan, one of our WGF wardens about an eagle that was found near Cody unwilling to fly. I met him in town to transfer the bird to my care but couldn't find anything wrong with this adult male golden eagle. He was in fairly good weight, 7#2oz, but seemed weak and unable to stand for very long.
His name is TREY, the third golden I've received this year. At this time last year I'd had about 12 of them. Naturally I got this male on a holiday weekend but there didn't seem to be any noticable damage so it was not critical he be seen by Dr. Blessing or Dr. Pedersen. I gave him an opened rabbit and altho he grabbed it right away he didn't seem interested in eating. He was also sitting back on his hocks instead of standing on his feet.
That was Friday evening, today is a different story. It took him all of Saturday to finish his first meal but today, when I tossed him another rabbit, it never hit the perch. He grabbed it out of the air and has so far eaten more than half of it.
The good thing is that this bird was found quickly, the bad thing is that it is an adult and goldens are now sitting on eggs. If he does have a mate, and it is likely he does, we will have lost this clutch as the female shares brooding with her mate. Because he isn't there to relieve her she will eventually get off the nest to find food which will leave the eggs to the elements. In this weather they will chill down quickly so the growing of the embryos will stop. As eagles do not double clutch we will have to wait until next year for this pair to produce young.
This is a wait and see problem so I will make the decision after having him x-rayed to see if there is damage that isn't readily discernable. I don't have to worry about his catching food, he obviously knows how to do that. As they mate for life his lady will be there waiting for his return.
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