Bald Eagle Makes Break for Freedom at Dodger Stadium on July 4

A bald eagle from made a brief break for freedom at Dodger Stadium on the Fourth of July before a game between the home team and the Baltimore Orioles.

According to the Associated Press, the male eagle, named Chinook, is part of a pair from the Los Angeles Zoo. It was supposed to fly from the top of the stadium down to its handler, but after several seconds of deliberation decided to fly right past its handler on the outfield grass and over the center field fence to freedom.

Several innings into the game, it was announced that Chinook had been recovered and was on its way back to the zoo with its owner:

The eagle had reportedly decided to chill in the stadium’s parking lot by the zoo’s van.

The L.A. Zoo issued the following statement:

We are happy to report that both of the bald eagles from the L.A. Zoo are doing just fine and have returned to the Zoo. The male eagle, Chinook, flew past his mark and landed safely just beyond the center field gate, near the L.A. Zoo van, where he waited for his handler. The L.A. Zoo had plenty of staff members on hand in the event either of the birds missed the mark on their landing.