Flying toward recovery

In just the last 10 days, Birds of Prey Northwest has responded to four calls from people who found injured and suffering bald eagles.

“People insist these birds of prey be saved and they turn to us,” said Jane Veltkamp, raptor biologist and owner of the nonprofit sanctuary in St. Maries. “We are becoming more well known as a state-of-the-art recovery center for birds of prey."

She was on her way to Sandpoint Monday to pick up another injured eagle.

But each eagle can’t be rehabilitated and released into the wild again.

One of those four died, said Veltkamp. She said it was a victim of eating something toxic and having suffered injuries, as well.

It’s disappointing when they lose one, she said, but noon Wednesday will be a time to celebrate when Birds of Prey NW releases three rehabilitated bald eagles into its enclosure at it headquarters, 430 East Round Lake Point, St Maries.

Veltkamp, said one of the bald eagles, a female, was a car-collision victim about two weeks ago, which she said is a common raptor injury.

“She was starving and injured when she came to us,” Veltkamp said.

Another, an adult male, suffered acute poisoning, which Veltkamp said might have come from ingesting toxic liquid at a landfill.

She said the eagle was comatose but they were able to flush its system quickly.

A young male that suffered a shoulder injury a few months ago has been rehabbed and is being released, too.

Veltkamp said the indoor aviary has a special drop-down door that allows the raptors to fly to freedom on their own, rather than a prearranged release date.

She said there are a more bald eagles in the area, which could explain why they are seeing an increase in the number of hurt raptors.

For information, contact biologist Janie Veltkamp (208) 582 0797