On June 19, a team of staff from the AZGFD, U.S. Forest Service-Coconino National Forest, and volunteers gathered outside Flagstaff to assist in placing a nine-week-old bald eagle into an active nest containing another eaglet of approximately the same age.
The foster eaglet was recovered by the biologists on May 21 during routine field work at Willow Springs Lake after they discovered a piece of monofilament fishing line hanging from its mouth. It was suspected that the bird had swallowed a fish hook that had become lodged in its throat and would likely result in death without intervention.
The eaglet was taken to Liberty Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation facility and AZGFD partner organization in Phoenix, where it received x-rays and surgery to remove the hook. Although a piece of the hook could not safely be removed during the procedure, the biologists were confident the bird would be able to thrive in the wild.
After recovery, the bald eagle nestling could not return to its original nest – it had been too long and the parent eagles had already left the area. Instead, the team identified a nest near Flagstaff as a potential foster site for the recovered bird.
"Fostering a nestling from a different nest works because the adult eagles are in parental care mode right now," said Kyle McCarty, AZGFD eagle field projects coordinator. "As long as the foster nestling is approximately the same age as their resident nestling, the adults will feed, care for and protect that new one as their own."
This rescue highlights the importance of proper disposal of monofilament fishing line, which can end up in the nests of bald eagles and endanger their lives.
Fishing line can get tangled around the bodies of bald eagle nestlings, cutting into their legs or tying them down to the nest. The line can also wrap around the animal's neck or accumulate inside the stomach, preventing the ingestion of food and causing starvation.
It can also be hazardous to other wildlife and to people hiking, swimming or diving, and to boats.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Monofilament Recovery Program encourages recreationists to properly dispose of used fishing line in trash containers or recycling bins to help reduce the risks discarded fishing line poses to wildlife and the environment.
Anglers are also asked not to cut fishing line and return fish with hooks back into the water, where it could be caught and accidentally swallowed by eagles and other wildlife. Use of lures or flies are great and effective angling options for anglers planning on catch and release.
"Anglers and recreators can help Arizona's bald eagles and other wildlife by picking up improperly discarded fishing line along waterways, volunteering at clean-up events, and ensuring fresh line of the proper weight is being utilized when fishing," said Kenneth Jacobson, AZGFD raptor management coordinator.
Read the full article.