BAXTER — After a bald eagle stopped and stood for an extended time in a field in Baxter’s commercial district off Highway 371, there were concerns it may be injured.
Law enforcement was responding on Friday, March 11, the open field by Target to take the bald eagle to the Wild and Free Wildlife Program in Garrison for care. While people waited for an officer to arrive, the eagle flew off and law enforcement was canceled from responding to the call.
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The incident brought up questions on how to respond to injured bald eagles and what to do when finding an eagle’s body. Eagles remain protected birds and there are specific regulations and recommendations on how to react to both injured and dead birds.
The Brainerd lakes area benefits from having a facility that can assist nearby in Wild and Free but the eagle or injured bird or animal typically needs to be transported to Garrison. A conservation officer or law enforcement officer may be able to handle the rescue and transfer the eagle to Wild and Free. To reach Wild and Free, call 320-692-4180 or visit wildandfree.org or the Wild and Free Facebook page.
Another option is the University of Minnesota Raptor Center, St. Paul, which can be reached at 612-624-4745, with options for a contact after business hours on its web page. The Raptor Center may also have volunteers in the area who can safely retrieve an injured bald eagle.
Spencer Rettler, DNR non-game wildlife specialist based in Grand Rapids who covers the Brainerd area, said with seasonal migration and in the spring, eagles are attracted to road kill for food. Rettler urged drivers to keep an eye out for eagles feeding on the side of the road, where vehicle strikes can come into play.
At one point, during the summer of 2024, Wild and Free had eight injured bald eagles at its facility. As of December of 2024, the facility cared for 45 eagles that year and a little more than half were rehabilitated.
Eagles are a sacred species to many native tribes, so any eagles Wild and Free are not able to save, including any feathers that are dropped while the eagles are being cared for, are packaged up and shipped to the National Eagle Repository. In 2024, Wild and Free sent 21 deceased eagles to the repository.
The National Eagle Repository is a one-of-a-kind facility, operated and managed by the Office of Law Enforcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The main purpose is to receive, evaluate, store and distribute dead golden and bald eagles, parts and feathers to Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
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Rettler said people who find a dead eagle or accidentally kill one in a vehicle strike have a couple of options, including calling the local DNR office near Brainerd first. Rettler said the deceased bird can then be brought to the office so it can be safely stored and shipped to the National Eagle Repository.
With limited staff covering the state, Rettler said it is impossible for them to respond to each call. An after-hours call to the Brainerd area office will find a conservation officer contact for emergencies. If there is a delay, keeping the bird in a cool place outside of a freezer is best, especially if there is concern the bird may have been poisoned or intentionally injured. If the eagle is believed to have been killed intentionally it would become an enforcement action and be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s field office in Bloomington at 612-240-6343.
Rettler said another option for people is to leave the deceased bird to naturally decompose on the landscape. If the bird is on the roadside, recommendations are to handle it with gloves and protection and, if possible, move it away from traffic where it may attract more birds or animals to the danger zone. But to preserve the bird and feathers, calling the DNR office first and bringing the bird to be shipped to the national repository provides the best option. It is not recommended to bag the eagle and throw it in the trash.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act continue to provide protection. Anyone handling or possessing an eagle or its remains must be covered by a migratory bird permit or a permit exception so people should not be handling or transporting sick, injured or dead eagles unless they are a law enforcement officer or specific employee, or licensed veterinarian. Rettler said in the instance where someone is bringing the body to the DNR office, they should place it in a trunk if possible and make the phone call to the office. In that case, he said their intentions to turn the bird in are understood.
If a bald eagle is found deceased and an investigation isn’t necessary — meaning it was not intentional, electrocuted, shot or poisoned and no parts were intentionally removed — the eagle feathers and remains must be transferred to the National Eagle Repository unless otherwise authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . Eagle injuries and deaths are typically reported and recorded.
The eagle protection act provides criminal penalties for people who "take, possess, sell, purchase, barter, offer to sell, purchase or barter, transport, export or import, at any time or any manner, any bald eagle ... [or any golden eagle], alive or dead, or any part (including feathers), nest, or egg thereof."
Seeing the nation's symbol, which 40 years ago was in danger of extinction, remains an impressive sight even in the lakes region where bald eagles are regular inhabitants. Banning the pesticide DDT and the passing of the Endangered Species Act in the early 1970s made a difference.
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“Bald eagles tend to evoke passion and emotion in people that few other wildlife species can match,” said Matt Stuber, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region eagle coordinator, in an U.S. Fish and Wildlife online article. “Maybe it’s their size. Maybe it’s because they are our national symbol. Or maybe it’s because many people grew up in a time when bald eagles were rare, which made them all the more special. Maybe it’s all of the above.”
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