A bald eagle found injured on state Highway 14 on Tuesday was treated in Portland at a wildlife care center.
The bald eagle has a fractured wing and damage to one of its eyes, said Lacy Campbell, manager of the care center at Audubon Society of Portland.
Campbell said the injuries appear consistent with what typically happens in eagle-versus-vehicle collisions, and they appear to be recent.
“Fractured wings are not too problematic,” she said. “But we don’t know if there’s internal damage.”
Washington State Patrol responded to reports of the injured bald eagle walking on or near the highway around 9:30 a.m. The eagle was unable to fly, troopers said.
Passers-by guided the eagle off to the shoulder of the eastbound lanes of the highway near Southeast Ellsworth Road. The Audubon Society picked it up.
The wildlife caretakers in Portland wrapped the eagle’s damaged wing and gave it pain medication. For now, they’re trying to leave the bird alone.
“It doesn’t seem to want to stand,” Campbell said. The care center is observing its recovery progresses.
Based on its size, the eagle is likely a female adult around 5 years old. With the exception of its injuries, it’s in good health.
The Audubon Society of Portland treats one eagle each month on average, Campbell said. There are more eagles coming into the care center than in the past, but it’s been the norm for the past two years or so, she said.
The carnivorous birds weigh only about 6½ to 14 pounds but can measure between 34 to 43 inches tall with an intimidating wing span of 6 to 8 feet.
The two most common ways the birds of prey are injured: territorial fights with other birds and collisions with vehicles, Campbell said. The eagles come to the care center from nearby rivers such as the Columbia and Willamette but are also rescued from more populated areas such as neighborhoods.
“They’re all over the place,” Campbell said.
