Officials in New Hartford, Connecticut, are being praised for rescuing an injured bald eagle Saturday afternoon.
When New Hartford police and officials with the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection emergency dispatch received multiple calls regarding the bird, officials took action, NBC Connecticut reported.
Constables and troopers responded the scene on Steele Road and located the bird in a tree. However, they soon realized its wings had been injured.
In a social media post, Connecticut State Police said the bald eagle was found by Browns Corner Park.
“ENCON police were requested to respond with speciality equipment to safely handle the bird. Once on scene, ENCON police was able to capture the bird,” the agency noted:
Following the rescue, officials took the bird for treatment and rehabilitation.
“A BIG thank you to all three agencies coming together to help rescue this majestic bird!” state police said.
The Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police noted that before officers arrived on scene to aid the bald eagle, it had been spooked, which caused it to retreat into the nearby tree:
“One Officer was able to use a water rescue throw bag to hit a nearby branch subsequently shaking the bird loose which then glided down to the ground about 200’ away where another Conservation Officer was able to safely capture it,” the agency’s post detailed.
According to Audubon, the bald eagle often feeds on carrion and it is known as a powerful predator.
“Seriously declining during much of the 20th century, the Bald Eagle has made a comeback in many areas since the 1970s. Big concentrations can be found wintering along rivers or reservoirs in some areas,” the website read.
In 1782, the bald eagle was named the national bird of the United States, and it was displayed on the Great Seal of the nation, per the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
“Bald eagles, like other eagles worldwide, had been seen by many as symbols of strength, courage, freedom and immortality for generations. And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle was indigenous only to North America,” the agency said.
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