bird in trouble near 8th St. W and Manatee Ave and called Bradenton Police.
Officers showed up and found a big bald eagle on the ground, clearly struggling to fly. The bird looked agitated, but the officers covered it gently with a blanket and move it into their patrol car to keep it safe.
Wildlife, Inc. Education & Rehabilitation Center sent a team over about 20 minutes later. They took the eagle straight to an emergency vet. Police say the eagle seemed about four or five years old, though they didn’t know if it was male or female. Its wing looked broken, so there’s a good chance it’ll need some time to recover before it gets released back into the wild.
The good Samaritan stuck around until help arrived, monitoring the bird the whole time. Bradenton Police posted the story on their X social media page, and gave a shout-out to everyone involved, saying they hope this beautiful eagle will soon soar over the Friendly City again. Not a bad way to spend President’s Day, helping save the country’s national bird.
