One little bald eagle got the best gift for America's 250th birthday: a second chance.
We first told you about the Ohio Bird Sanctuary last December, when the Mansfield-based group rescued a baby barn owl from a snowbank in Holmes County. Specializing in the rehabilitation of songbirds and birds of prey, the sanctuary decided to remain open on July 4 so that the public could celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial by engaging with nature and meeting its birds.
But the team at the sanctuary didn't end their shift with fireworks or sparklers. Their Fourth of July shift ended with a juvenile bald eagle that was rescued by a Licking County wildlife officer after it fell from its nest.
"It's harder for the parents to feed them on the ground. It's harder for them to find them on the ground, and they are also more susceptible to predators," said Amanda Vanderford, the curator for animals at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary. "So, being on the ground for quite some time, um, I'm thinking at least a week. She was probably there, or at least close to no food, no water. And with this extreme heat, I'm really surprised she's still alive."
The emaciated eagle, aptly named Little Liberty, was rushed to Richland County in extremely critical condition.
"Right now, our focus is stabilizing her and trying to save her life," Vanderford said.
After staff monitored her progress overnight, Little Liberty is more alert, though still in critical condition.
Thankfully, her tests came back negative for lead toxicity, which is not the case for most of the eagles they see, according to Vanderford. But her red blood cell count was low.
The team at the sanctuary will be monitoring it over the next several days to see if she will need a transfusion. If she makes it to next week, Vanderford is hoping to run some more tests, blood work and X-rays to see how they can best help get Little Liberty back to the wild.
Vanderford praised the people who found Little Liberty, stressing the importance of calling wildlife officers when you find wildlife in distress, as they can instruct citizens on what to do and what not to do.
"If she would have received any food, that certainly would have killed her at this point," Vanderford said. "So we are very happy that she, you know, was found and just kept in a dark, quiet place until she could get help."
The patriotic supporters of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary raised over $1,000 for Little Liberty's emergency treatments in less than 24 hours. While Vanderford believes this will cover treatments into early next week, she stressed that the work must continue.
"Not only food, but medications, veterinary fees, you know, all of that adds up very quickly," Vanderford said. "Our job here is to give those birds a second chance, and we understand that that's what our donors, you know, want us to do."
The Ohio Bird Sanctuary admits birds to its hospital seven days a week, holidays included. Thanks to its donors, staff members have never had to turn a bird down.
"[Little Liberty's] story is really amazing so far," Vanderford said. "So many people have had to come together to get her to our hospital to give her the second chance...We feel very blessed to be able to do that, and we are just really excited to see everyone coming together, following her story, supporting her care, as well as other birds here at the sanctuary."
If you are interested in visiting the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, they are open to the public six days a week year-round.
