An adult bald eagle stranded on a slab of ice in the Hudson River on Tuesday morning is now in intensive care at a Morris County wild-bird rehabilitation center, after NYPD Harbor Unit officers pulled off a chilly rescue near the George Washington Bridge. Staff at The Raptor Trust in Millington say the bird remains in very serious condition as they work to stabilize it.
Body-camera video shows Harbor officers closing in on the bird around 9:30 a.m., using a catch pole and a yellow sheet to scoop it off the ice, then wrapping it in a blanket and sliding it into a travel crate, according to CBS New York. Officers noted the eagle was bleeding from a claw and appeared to have a wound near an eye, but the raptor stayed mostly calm throughout the rescue. Officials say the crew kept the bird aboard until it could be turned over to wildlife authorities and then transported to a New Jersey sanctuary for treatment, per NBC New York.
At the Raptor Trust
The Raptor Trust confirmed it received the eagle Tuesday afternoon and said in a Facebook update that the bird is in "very serious condition" while staff provide supportive care. The center said the eagle - banded as a juvenile in Stony Brook, N.Y., in 2005 and known to have nested successfully for years - was transported to the facility by New York DEC officers and that additional diagnostics will be performed if the patient stabilizes, according to NJ.com.
Why eagles gather on the Hudson
Bald eagles often descend on the lower Hudson in winter because they seek open water for fishing when inland lakes and reservoirs freeze, and wintering numbers usually peak in January and February, according to the NYSDEC. That seasonal gathering means river crews and conservationists are more likely to encounter distressed raptors during harsh cold snaps.
Officers' account and next steps
NYPD Harbor Unit members said they consulted with DEC and improvised a plan on the water to secure the bird, using a noose to pin its wings and a cloth over its head to calm it during the lift, officers told reporters. "I think it kind of knew that we were trying to help it," one officer said. Officials said the eagle stayed on board until they could meet wildlife personnel for transfer, as reported by ABC News. The Raptor Trust said its immediate goal is stabilization and, if the bird improves, staff will perform x-rays and blood work to pinpoint injuries and decide whether the eagle can be rehabilitated for release, according to NJ.com.
How to help
If you spot an injured bird, the DEC advises keeping a safe distance and contacting the state's conservation dispatch or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator so trained crews can respond. The Raptor Trust's website also offers guidance on reporting injured raptors and what to do while waiting for professionals; see The Raptor Trust for details.
