Latest news with #WorldBirdSanctuary
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bald eagle chicks rescued from sinking nest in Missouri river
BONNE TERRE, Mo. – Two bald eagle chicks were saved from a river in Missouri ahead of storms this week. A resident in Bonne Terre, Missouri, was preparing his property for incoming storms when he noticed that a bald eagle nest had fallen into the river near his property. He found that two eaglets were still in the nest, which was sinking into the river. The resident called the World Bird Sanctuary to rescue the two chicks, and they sprang into action. The sanctuary's rehabilitation team borrowed a canoe from the resident and went to work. Once they reached the eaglets, there was water up to their bellies, the sanctuary said. Florida Man Evades Alligator In Lake To Save Injured American Bald Eagle The eaglets' nest was breaking up around them as the rehabilitation team tried to secure the birds and remove them from the river. The sanctuary said one of the eaglets "took a brief swim" while trying to evade its rescuers. In the end, both chicks were saved from the water and transported to the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park. After careful evaluations and X-rays, it was determined that the eaglets were not hurt during the ordeal. Eaglets Killed When 75-Mph Windstorm Knocks Bald Eagle Nest Out Of Tree The birds are estimated to be around seven weeks old, the sanctuary said. The sanctuary commended the Bonne Terre man for calling them, allowing them to use his canoe, and directing them to the area. "His willingness to help is what saved these two eaglets," the World Bird Sanctuary said in a Facebook post. It's believed the eaglets would've been fully underwater about an hour later if they hadn't been saved. "At their current stage of muscle development, it is uncertain if they would have been able to make the swim to shore or would have just ended up drowning," the sanctuary said. Watch: Baby Bald Eagles Hatch In Longtime Nest Of Beloved Bird Couple Since their nest is now gone, the eaglets will stay in the care of the World Bird Sanctuary until they're ready to fledge. The World Bird Sanctuary has received 32 babies in addition to the two eaglets so far this year. The sanctuary asked for the public's help to support the 34 babies so they can eventually be returned to the wild. To donate to the World Bird Sanctuary, click here. In March, Murphy, a beloved bald eagle that lived at the World Bird Sanctuary and became famous for fostering a rock a few years ago, died during severe article source: Bald eagle chicks rescued from sinking nest in Missouri river
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bald eagle chicks saved from riverbed after nest fall
ST. LOUIS – Two Bald Eagle chicks were rescued by the World Bird Sanctuary after they reportedly fell from their nest into St. Francois County's Big River. A landowner in that area, named Ray Settle, was checking his property when he discovered the two chicks—alive—in their nest, sinking into the river. He immediately contacted the World Bird Sanctuary to help rescue the eaglets. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now During the rescue operation at the Big River, Settle used his canoe to search for the chicks and the organization sent out two of their hospital staff. The World Bird Sanctuary believes that the canoe helped rescuers get close to the eaglets. When both chicks were saved, they were estimated to be about seven weeks old. Because they are so young, the two Bald Eagle chicks are not mobile and are at a stage where most eaglets are just learning to stand. The chicks were then taken to the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, each receiving medical examinations. The examinations concluded that the chicks sustained no injuries when they initially landed in the Big River. Although rescued, the World Bird Sanctuary said that the eaglets will need to remain at the sanctuary until they are old enough because their nest was destroyed. Funding cuts hit STL Zoo, Botanical Garden hard 'The eaglets will be placed with a surrogate adult Bald Eagle, which is also a recovering patient, and receive minimal human interaction for their time in care to prevent them from socializing with people. They will be housed in one of the sanctuary's largest flights so that once they leave their surrogate nest, they can begin building flight muscles,' the World Bird Sanctuary wrote. Kira Klebe, World Bird Sanctuary's Rehabilitation Director, expressed gratitude for her organization taking in the two chicks, as well as Settle's help in rescuing them. 'His willingness to help is what saved these two eaglets. At the rate their nest was breaking up, they likely only had another hour or so before they would have been underwater,' Klebe said. 'At their current stage of muscle development, it is uncertain if they would have been able to make the swim to shore or would have just ended up drowning.' Updates about the eaglets can be found on the World Bird Sanctuary's Facebook or Instagram. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bald eagle's beak healing following gunshot wound
After surviving a likely gunshot wound in July, a bald eagle in Missouri is showing an important sign of recovery–keratin growth on his severely injured beak. According to World Bird Sanctuary, a nonprofit that treats and houses injured raptors, it's taken nearly nine months and seven surgeries to get the bird's beak growing again. 'While this growth is still no guarantee that the keratin will regrow over his entire beak, it gives us hope that we may start to see the growth area spreading as we move forward,' the organization wrote in a recent Facebook post. On July 11, 2024 a male bald eagle (later designated as Bald Eagle 24-390 or just 390 for short) was spotted on the side of the road near Vienna, Missouri with an obvious facial injury. 'Based on the pattern of damage to the beak and trace amounts of metal found in the wound, we believe the injury to be caused by a gunshot wound,' Kira Klebe, World Bird Sanctuary's Rehabilitation Director, tells Popular Science. '390 also had a large wound over his left humerus that was consistent with gunshot injury.' The injured bird was taken into the rehabilitation center, where his wounds were cleaned out and evaluated. Veterinarian Dr. Allison Daugherty and her team performed an initial surgery and placed eight metal cross pins, two on each side of the fracture on the bird's beak. Eagle beaks and talons are made of keratin, a strong type of protein that helps form skin, hair, and other outer layers of skin on a variety of animals. The team's biggest concerns for 390's recovery since July has been that the growth bed would be too damaged for the keratin to regrow and that the bone that supports the entire structure of the upper beak may have too much missing and grow back together. A significant chunk of that bone was missing due to the eagle's initial injury, limiting the amount of tissue and blood that carries nutrients to the outer half of that bone. 'Gunshot wounds are also inherently dirty and carry a higher risk of infection and non-union fracture healing than fractures from other sources such as vehicle collisions,' says Klebe. Since first arriving at the sanctuary, 390 has had seven additional surgeries and 'countless cleanings' to keep the beak from getting infected. The team was able to remove the external support in October and added a dental acrylic covering over the gap in the bone until late March. [ Related: Hunters' bullets are poisoning bald eagles. ] The keratin that makes up a bird's beak and talons is similar to human nails. When it is healthy, keratin is constantly growing. Wild raptors like eagles, hawks, and falcons, need this continual keratin growth to keep their beaks and talons sharp for hunting. 'For birds under human care, the beak and talons can actually become overgrown, as they are not being used as frequently and therefore wear down more slowly than that of wild birds,' explains Klebe. 'Birds under professional care can also experience faster beak and talon growth than their wild counterparts as birds under professional care are typically receiving ideal nutritional intake.' To try and promote faster keratin growth in a bird like 390, the primary course of action is good nutrition and a low-stress environment. Eating a balanced diet with the right amount of nutrients gives their bodies the energy that they need to put the nutrients right back into beak growth, instead of just essential metabolic needs. 390 receives a vitamin supplement customized for raptors and extra calcium supplements with his daily feedings. 'Stress can also limit beak growth as it puts the animal in survival mode and added energy is going to stress management,' says Klebe. 'While a rehabilitation setting is always going to have some inherent stressors, we are making sure we do everything possible to promote a healthy environment for 390's recovery.' On April 5, the organization announced that keratin was starting to grow on the right side of 390's beak. The keratin is growing over the area of the beak that was first to heal and is 'coming in a bit rough.' The team will likely need to smooth it out using a Dremel as it grows to try and keep it forming into its natural state. While full growth is still not a guarantee, it gives some hope that the growth area will spread. To keep 390's day-to-day life as calm as possible, the eagle has been in one of the largest rehabilitation aviaries since February. While he is also able to interact with other bald eagles in this area, human contact is a bit more limited. 'These aviaries are behind the scenes and amongst our farthest removed from human activity so that 390 is minimally disturbed,' says Klebe. 'These are large enough for him to fly around in and maintain good muscle strength.' Now that the bone is finished healing and the keratin is growing, the team will mostly have to be patient. While they will be closely monitoring the wearing of the older keratin on his upper beak, they will try to be as hands off as possible to minimize stress levels. 'Even if the keratin starts to regrow over the entire beak, 390 will likely require another full year of care before the beak has regrown to the point that he can be released back to the wild,' says Klebe. According to Audubon New York, if you find an injured bird, carefully place it in a cardboard box with a lid or towel covering it. Place the box in a cool, safe place to help keep the bird from going into shock. As soon as possible, call your local animal control office for further information. The Wildlife International also has a directory of bird rehabilitators that may have facilities near you.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
World Bird Sanctuary Mourns Murphy The Bald Eagle After Severe Weather Sweeps Missouri
The World Bird Sanctuary is mourning the loss of Murphy, a 33-year-old bald eagle whose remarkable journey as a foster parent captivated people around the world. Murphy was found dead in his aviary on March 15, following a night of severe storms and tornadoes in the St. Louis area. 'Our veterinarian performed a full necropsy which showed that Murphy had sustained some form of trauma to his head,' the sanctuary said in a statement. While the exact cause of the injury remains uncertain, the sanctuary acknowledged that 'this storm may have contributed to his passing.' (MORE: St. Louis Storm Leaves Trail Of Roofs, Fences) Murphy's impact stretched far beyond his aviary. In 2023, he gained international fame when he began incubating a rock, a moment that revealed his readiness to foster a real eaglet. When a rescued eaglet was introduced to him, Murphy's instincts took over, and he raised the young bird with unwavering dedication until it was strong enough to be released into the wild. 'Murphy's transition from rock incubating to rockstar foster dad of an injured eaglet brought daily joy to thousands as we watched their journey together,' the sanctuary shared. Murphy was in the process of fostering a second eaglet at the time of his passing, showing the same commitment and care. 'His second eaglet is still in our care, but is making good progress toward release and we expect he will be ready by mid-summer,' said the sanctuary. Experts credit Murphy's work with inspiring new aviary designs tailored to the specific needs of orphaned and injured raptors, ensuring that his legacy will continue to shape wildlife rehabilitation efforts. (MORE: Louisiana Bald Eagle Battles Storm To Protect Its Eggs) To honor Murphy's profound impact, the World Bird Sanctuary plans to name its future eagle fostering aviary "Murphy's Manor," a tribute to the eagle who helped raise the next generation. 'We could not have asked for a better ambassador and role model,' the sanctuary wrote. 'Murphy will be deeply missed, but his legacy will live on in the memories of those who loved him.' MORE ON Polar Bear Breaks Ice In Zoo Pool More Than 800 New Marine Species Discovered Once-Frozen Bald Eagle Takes Flight Again
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Murphy The Bald Eagle Passes After Severe Weather
After a night of intense storms and tornadoes that swept through the St. Louis area, the World Bird Sanctuary announced the loss of Murphy, a cherished 33-year-old bald eagle who became famous for trying to hatch a rock. Experts say Murphy's passing may have been influenced by the severe weather.
