Re: MAY 2: Second Eaglet Rescued - The value of having many eyes on the eagles

Posted by NewMexiKen on
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/MAY-2-Second-Eaglet-Rescued-The-value-of-having-many-eyes-on-the-eagles-tp7576179p7576202.html

CORRECTION: Only the first grounded eaglet is  in the care of the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

Latest report is that the first grounded eaglet suffered a coracoid fracture. This bone is similar to the human collarbone, connecting the shoulder to the breastbone and thus stabilizing the rib cage. Fracture is often due to crashing into something right in front of the bird. Although it is serious break, it usually does not require surgery and is normally treated by immobilizing the wing. Raptors with this injury, if not complicated, have a good chance of being released to fly free after full recovery and conditioning in a flight cage.

The older eaglet which  grounded this past week is in a local rehabilitation facility. No word on her condition.

"Outcomes of 232 adult wild birds in the United Kingdom (UK), surviving more than 48 hours after admission, with only closed unilateral coracoid fractures confirmed on radiography were retrospectively analysed. There was a high success rate for conservative management, with 75% (95% confidence interval of 69-80%, n=174/232) of all birds successfully released back to the wild.  The proportion of raptors successfully returned to the wild was even higher at 97%..."

Ref: http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/45264/