Rehabilitated Eagle Takes Flight In Hammock Park

A mature bald eagle returned to the skies high above Highlands Hammock State Park on Wednesday, after about two weeks of rehabilitation.

Park rangers, members of two wildlife rehabilitation centers and a several bird watchers saw the eagle released near the off-road bike path in the state park from where it was rescued on Nov. 4.

The rehabilitated bird ate rats and fish while recovering from general soreness, in a 100-foot by 20-foot flight cage, at Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, Maitland.

The bird known as the U.S. national symbol has a six- to seven-foot wingspan, weighs about eight pounds and was treated for an unknown injury. It flew from the arms of David Wrede, of Wrede's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Inc.

"When you go to release this bird, you feel its strength leaving you," said Wrede. "It knocks the wind out of you. It's a relief. I'm glad it's gone."

Dorothy Harris, park specialist, witnessed the release.

"It's such a quick thing," said Harris. "You blink and it's done. The most amazing thing is how huge they are. It's astounding how big the bird is."

An examination showed a previous injury caused by bird shot typically used to hunt quail, fired from a shotgun.

Dianna Flynt is a rehabilitation supervisor at Audubon Center and has personally released about 100 of 354 bald eagles set free by the non-profit rehab center for the past 29 years.

"It's rewarding because you put a lot of effort into saving lives," said Flynt. "They're all worth it when you make that release."

"We think that any eagle that is injured and can go back into the wild is lucky," said Lynne Flannery, Audubon education and volunteer coordinator. "We're always losing more habitat every day."

Humans are a bald eagle's worst enemy.

"Most injures are our fault and we have a responsibility to rehabilitate and return them to the wild," said Flannery.

Bald eagles are federally banded and registered. Last nesting season, there were 37 active nests in Highlands County, with two parents and two babies on average, per clutch.

Eagles are faithful to their own nesting sites and usually return with mates for life, during the nesting season. Flynt said it was likely the rehabilitated eagle would reunite with its mate in the state park.

"We don't know the bird's history," said Flynt. "He wasn't confessing anything."

While eagles are undergoing rehabilitation, especially with the young and impressionable, staff is careful not to make a human imprint through sound or even by looking into a bird's eyes.

Audubon has 50 birds on site, including 21 different species, of hawks, owls, falcons and kites. The non-profit center is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Mondays. For information, or to support the Audubon rehabilitation center, call 407-644-0190.

Wrede's is located in Highlands County, but at this time is not open to the public for tours. Call 385-2770 to volunteer, or for more information and leave a message.