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A bald eagle that was being cared for after it was accidentally struck by an automobile in northeast Wisconsin has died, wildlife officials confirmed to Fox News Digital.
"Unfortunately we do not have good news," Sue Theys, chairman of Wildlife Of Wisconsin (W.O.W.), told Fox News Digital on Tuesday, May 30.
"Upon examination we discovered the bird was very thin, which is why it was probably hit in the first place. It wasn't strong enough to get out of the way of the car and lift off," Theys continued. "We immediately began to gavage the bird and put him on pain meds."
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"Unfortunately it had passed within 48 hours and we were unable to determine what initially brought it down," she also said. "We will be checking with the DNR Vet to see if they wish to do a necropsy."
On May 25, local police in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, announced on Facebook that a bald eagle had been hit by a vehicle and was being cared for by a local rescue group.
The bald eagle is held by Jerry Theys of Wildlife of Wisconsin (W.O.W.) 48 hours before the bird died. Sue Theys, chairman of W.O.W., told Fox News Digital the eagle arrived in her staff's care "starving." Theys said it's as if the eagle died of something other than the collision. (Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department)
"This afternoon our office was contacted in regard to a bald eagle, which was struck by a vehicle," the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department wrote in a post.
"Deputies responded and located the eagle in the ditch."
The sheriff's department initially said the eagle's beak was dented, but that it didn't sustain any serious injuries.
W.O.W., an environmental conservation organization located in Cato, had subsequently revealed on Facebook that the eagle was taking pain medications but was "otherwise doing well."
The post also said, "Hope to release soon as there may be young in the nest. Thanks to the Kewaunee Sheriff's Department for contacting us."
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Events took a turn, however, when the eagle showed no signs of improvement and the bird's health status declined, according to Theys.
WARNING: The image included in this story below may be disturbing to some viewers.
W.O.W. officials had performed an exam of the eagle, which had low weight and had been starving, Theys noted.
"This eagle, I don't think actually died from the impact," Theys said. "I think something else was going on. I'm sure [the collision] contributed to whatever he was suffering from."
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Theys said that "unfortunately too frequently," W.O.W. has cared for eagles stuck by an automobile — with roughly one-to-two casualties per year, she said.
Her main message to drivers is to "slow down" and share the roads with animals, especially in rural areas of the U.S. She also said that drivers can honk their horns or flash their lights if they see wildlife crossing up ahead of them.
The motorist who struck the bird did stop to call authorities, said Theys. The bald eagle may have been too weak to take flight and move out of harm's way, she added.
A bald eagle is seen 24 hours after being hit by an automobile in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. The bird ended up dying within 48 hours of May 27, when authorities were called to the scene. Theys said at one point, the eagle could barely lift its head. "It was so sad," she told Fox News Digital. (Wildlife of Wisconsin)
Kewaunee County Sheriff Matthew Joski echoed this advisory.
"A possible message to motorists is to be aware of your surroundings and the potential for wildlife to enter into your lane of travel," Joski told Fox News Digital via email.
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"Especially during the spring season when birds may be nesting, their keen sense of speed and distance can become compromised by their instinct to protect a nearby nest or their focus on the hunting of prey," Joski added.
On the right is Jerry Theys, husband of Sue Theys. Both work for the Wildlife of Wisconsin (W.O.W.) in Cato, Wisconsin, where a bald eagle was cared for after it was struck by a vehicle. The eagle died 48 hours after the accident. (Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department)
Joski went on to say that in Wisconsin, there's an increase in accidents involving certain species depending on the season.
"Defensive driving is not limited to other motorists, or even pedestrians, but [to] each and every obstacle that could present itself during your travels," Joski said.
The eagle's feathers will be sent to a local Native American community.
In 2019, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) counted 1,684 occupied nests in Wisconsin, which had increased by 108 in the 1970s, it reported.
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Theys said the DNR will perform a necropsy (animal autopsy) in the hope of determining any illness and cause of death.
The bald eagle may have been too weak to move away from a motorist that was coming its way before it was struck in Wisconsin on May 27, 2023. (Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department)
The procedure will help Theys and W.O.W. officials treat animals that may be suffering from similar sicknesses, Theys said.
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The eagle's body will be sent to the National Eagle Repository and its feathers will be sent to a local Native American community, Theys added.
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