Jasper County Sheriff’s Office rescues its second bald eagle in four years

A deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office captured an injured bald eagle earlier this week and turned it in to a rehabilitation facility for further care, making this the second time in the past four years that the law enforcement agency has rescued a live bald eagle in the county.

Sergeant Corey Van Kooten on Tuesday, Dec. 2 responded to a call of a bald eagle in distress along U.S. Highway 6, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook. The eagle was in the middle of the road and unable to fly, although it had attempted to when Van Kooten arrived. But the bird didn’t get far and was obviously injured.

Iowa Bird Rehabilitation, a Des Moines-based nonprofit, was contacted and sent staff to the location of the bird, Van Kooten and Deputy Chad Coleman, who had found the eagle while on patrol and made the call to dispatch. The bird, a female, was then captured and sent to Saving Our Avian Resources for treatment.

In an update from SOAR, they said the eagle weighed almost 11 pounds, so not thin. Although she did not have an elevated blood lead level nor any signs of fractures, the eagle was bleeding from the mouth on admission, indicating some internal bleeding. It has been given Vitamin K to help with clotting.

From what SOAR could tell, the eagle had been eating some roadkill and got hit by a car. For now, it will still be in intensive care at SOAR and be monitored.

“Thanks to all involved in this rescue and transport,” SOAR said in a Thursday, Dec. 4 post on Facebook, which was also shared by the sheriff’s office.

The last time an eagle was rescued by the sheriff’s office was in 2021.

Kira Lazenby and Josh Borg of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an injured bald eagle near Highway F-17 West. The caller said the eagle appeared to be injured and could not fly. Fellow deputies Nick Aldrich and Landon Moss assisted in securing the eagle, which they named Jade.

Again, SOAR was contacted to remove Jade from the scene and treat its injuries.