'Regal Eagle' in recovery

After multiple sightings and a three day pursuit, a male bald eagle with a wounded right wing was brought to conservation agents on Saturday, March 25.

Once captured, the eagle was transferred to Watkins Wildlife Rehab, a not-for-profit charity that provides rehabilitation to Missouri mammals, reptiles, birds of prey and migratory wildfowl. John Watkins of Watkins Wildlife Refuge is one of few handlers with the necessary federal and state licensing to handle birds of prey.

Upon noticing an open fracture on the eagle's right wing, Watkins brought the bird to Skyview Animal Clinic to receive X-rays and necessary medical evaluations.

Dr. Sean Byrd of Skyview Animal Clinic said the cause of the injury was unclear.

"[It is a] big break -- an open fracture. We kept it here, put it on antibiotics, gave it some nutrition, and then once we thought it was strong enough, we did surgery Wednesday (March 29) on it."

Dr. Sean Byrd and Chara Palmer care to an injured bald eagle on March 31 at Skyview Animal Clinic in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Byrd said the surgery, which he has performed on similar wing injuries, focused on clearing dead bone and tissue to re-align the injured right wing bones. Once aligned, Byrd placed a pin through the middle of the bone to straighten it and aid the bone pieces as they begin to grow back together.

"Usually we say four to six weeks to get a full bone to fuse," Byrd said. "Maybe a couple of weeks or longer for the strength to get back."

Throughout the eagle's days at Skyview, staff members grew more accustomed to the predator's personality.

"We call him Regal Eagle just as a name because it rhymes," Byrd said, laughing. "... He's pretty good, he's a pretty cool eagle. I mean, he's very active. He's a great eater."

Chara Palmer was one of the eagle's regular caretakers at Skyview Animal Clinic who administered antibiotics and food to the bird twice a day.

"At first, he didn't understand when I was cutting his food into little pieces," Palmer said. "He liked it better when I would actually put the fish in there whole and he could tear it up like he's used to in the wild. So, we've kind of got an understanding."

With time, the predator became acquainted to his new routine toward recovery. This was not the first eagle encounter for Palmer who has worked with Skyview Animal Clinic for 17 years.

"I think that he is the most energetic one that I've ever had to mess with," Palmer said. "I do enjoy him a lot. He has a little bit of attitude, which is good. I think it will help him heal and get better quicker."

With a successful surgery and improving health, Skyview Animal Clinic returned the eagle to Watkins's care on Friday, March 31.

Regal Eagle is now the second bald eagle undergoing rehabilitation in the wings of Watkins Wildlife Rehab. Watkins's previous eagle, a female with an 8-foot wingspan, is expected to be released within the coming months.

The eagle's rehabilitation process initially focuses on keeping the bird calm and handling him as little as possible until the bone has fully re-fused. As the mending wing regains strength, the bird will be moved through a series of increasingly larger cages, ending with a 70-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, 18-foot-tall cage with three perches, specifically designed to help birds of prey regain flight control and wing strength.

Last year, Watkins Rehabilitation treated four bald eagles, all of which were safely released into the wild. The rehabilitation center cares for 200 to 300 animals per year, according to Watkins, with 70 percent of them making a full recovery and returning to the wild.

bmatthews@semissourian.com