Young eagle released into Cape Coral after wing heals

In 12 years of volunteering with the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Ruth Parks has seen “lots” of animals released back into their habitat after getting treatment for their injuries.

Still, Parks found Friday’s release of a fledgling bald eagle in Cape Coral especially rewarding.

In March, Parks had been called to the same field near Cape Coral Sports Park to recover the bird, who’d sustained a wing injury just a short distance from an eagle’s nest.

How he got injured was unclear but “he probably was on one of his first flights,” Parks said, adding: “He had a lot to learn. He’d never been on his own before.”

The eagle was admitted to CROW on March 30 after sustaining a fractured humerus of its left wing.

Because of the fracture's proximity to the shoulder joint, surgery was not an option. The eagle's wing was immobilized in a wrap.

SWFL Eagle Cam: Breakfast in the nest for E9

 Once the fracture began to heal, the eagle received physical therapy under general anesthesia to build muscle and increase range of motion in the injured wing.

The bird later was moved to a large flight enclosure to continue physical therapy on its own and to practice flying.

CROW staff "had to make sure he was capable of surviving; they had to get his flight (abilities) looking really well," Parks said.

She noted the bird "behaved very well" during his car ride back to the field, which lessened the chance of another injury.

And, when he took flight, the only sound was of his wings moving through the air.

Said Parks: "It's always a wonderful thing when you get to see them fly well — and away from you."