I saw this on Facebook. This eagle was rescued covered in oil. Now at Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre.
The Bald Eagle came to us on the 22nd of November. The eagle was brought to us with the help of Manitoba Sustainable Development out in Grand Rapids. A local in town found the eagle completely oiled in their yard, most likely got itself covered at the dump. He took the eagle in while trying to find what options there were in helping the eagle and called us. Transport was arranged with Sustainable Development and the eagle came to Winnipeg. Upon our examinations, the oiling was one of the worst cases we've seen, soaking deep into the feathers, down to the skin. Centennial Animal Hospital has been a gracious supporter of ours and let us borrow their wash tub to wash the eagle as it is more spacious than what we currently have at the centre.
Oil on animals can cause multiple problems. The weight of the oil can make it too heavy to fly, it also mats and separates the feathers. This exposes the skin and does not allow the bird to properly insulate and keep warm on its own. We have been able to wash the eagle several times now and it will still take quite a number more to get all the oil off. Once the eagle is fully washed out of the oils, the eagle will have to recondition their feathers with their own natural oils before we can consider having the eagle on their way home. For now, this eagle stays with us at Wildlife Haven in a nice little heated room to keep the eagle warm and comfortable.
