Dawson City Bald Eagle
Dawson City Bald Eagle
1 minute read –
Imagine a bald eagle walking around, it’s like the fierce sky warrior forgot its wings. When it’s on the ground, its swagger is… questionable. Instead of the majestic glide we all picture, it’s more like a grumpy grandpa strutting through the yard, a bit hunched, stepping carefully as if it’s got somewhere important to be. It’s as if it’s trying hard to act casual, but can’t quite hide the fact that it’s totally out of its element. You just know it’s thinking, “I’m supposed to be flying right now…”
On October 18th, we admitted a juvenile bald eagle into the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. The young eagle came all the way from Dawson City. Apparently, this bird was found struttin’ its stuff on the main street sidewalk of DC. This bird certainly was supposed to be flying but due to being slightly underweight, not fueled well and muscles not strong enough, it was flightless. Damage to the tail feathers suggest it spent a fair amount of time, flightless.
The eagle spent one week inside, eating well and gaining weight. The second week in care and until her release she is working on her flight hours, gaining strength before going back to the wild.
While she will very likely be released back into the wild, she will not likely be transported back to Dawson City for the release. This added travel can be stressful and Dawson City in the winter can be a challenging place for a young eagle to success.
Help us get them back on their wings. We could use your help. If you are able to support the care of these two animals, please consider donating. Every contribution makes a difference and as a non-profit charitable organization, you can receive a charitable tax receipt for your support.
Photo credit: L. Caskenette
Lindsay Caskenette
Manager Visitor Services
Lindsay joined the Wildlife Preserve team March 2014. Originally from Ontario, she came to the Yukon in search of new adventures and new career challenges. Lindsay holds a degree in Environmental Studies with honours from Wilfrid Laurier University and brings with her a strong passion for sharing what nature, animals, and the environment can teach us.