Eagle with lead poisoning making recovery

NAUBINWAY — A bald eagle with lead poisoning that was rescued in late December is on the path to recovery.

While it’s not strong enough yet to eat on its own, it is being tube-fed and it looks to make a complete recovery. In addition to supplements and nutrients, activated charcoal is being used to suck up the lead ions in the eagle’s stomach.

Early assumption is that the bird of prey probably ingested lead shot from a grouse or other bird shot but not recovered by a hunter.

“It’s like if someone was out hunting and shot a grouse, and maybe didn’t recover it, and the eagle finds it and eats it and actually eats the lead shot,” GarLyn Zoological Park co-owner Gary Moore said. “Or it could be a fish that maybe swallowed a weight or a sinker and then it [the eagle] actually eats the weight or the lead.”

The eagle is being treated at a rehab center and the GarLyn Zoo is posting updates about the bird on Facebook.