Young Golden Eagle Separated from Parents

* FAQ After description * On July 14th, 2019, Martin received a call about a Golden Eagle. He was led to the area by some people riding motorcycles then took off on foot in search of the eagle. With his net in hand, Martin surveyed the area and in just a few moments, caught sight of the Golden Eagle. He ran a bit to catch up and angle in, before the last dash in high gear to capture the bird. On first inspection, Martin saw the eagle was very skinny and very young. He determined the eagle was a very young one, probably not long out the nest, that somehow got separated from his parents. Martin brought the eagle back to the rescue center and immediately gave him a good meal and plenty of fluids loaded with nutrients. Once fed, the eagle was put into our largest chamber and left alone to begin to his recovery. This eagle stayed nearly 6 weeks, gaining weight and growing stronger. On August 23rd he was released back to the wild where he belongs. Frequently Asked Questions: * How did Martin know the parents weren't around? Martin tracks all the nests in the area and knows mating and breeding time periods. From his knowledge of the area and nest as well as examination of the young eagle, Martin knew the eagle had gotten separated from the parents. * How old was the eagle? Two and half to three months old, just out of the nest, probably 3 or 4 weeks. * Why did the eagle have to be taken back to the rescue center? He was really, really skinny and needed care to regain health and proper weight. Even another day alone, he would have died. Life in the wild is not easy and eagles need to be in top physical shape to survive. * Why didn't the eagle bite Martin? The eagle very easily could have bitten Martin, even as weak as he was. Martin has been working with critters over 50 years and knows how to handle them. Nonetheless, he always takes much care and caution for the benefit of both the eagle and himself! * Why is the eagle so calm and tame? This eagle was very thin, starved and weak. Generally, any time a wild animal acts tame, they are very sick. * Does the eagle know Martin is helping him? The eagle has an instinctual fear of humans. Captivity is very stressful for them. All they want is to get away from him and back into the wild. * How does Martin know if the eagle is male or female? He can't know for absolute certain without a blood test, and sometimes, especially when they are so thin, it is hard to know. Mostly, females are larger than males. After 50 years of working with critters, Martin has a pretty good eye for noticing size differences. However, there is still some gray area between a smaller female and larger male. It does not effect their treatment though, so Martin does not subject them to a blood test which would cause added stress. * What was the eagle fed? The eagle was fed differently throughout his stay. On arrival, the key was to get fluid and nutrients into him as soon as possible. Martin uses a special mix as well as some small mice. Martin usually only has to force feed them a few days until they have the strength to feed themselves. It is sometimes difficult to get them to eat while in captivity. As the eagle recovers, the food changes. They get a natural diet of mice, quail and jackrabbits. They are given the whole animal, not just meat, as they need all the parts of the animals. * Do eagles need water? Eagles get most of the water they need from the food they consume. They can also find water in wild at lakes, streams, puddles and such. Fresh water is always available for them at our rescue center. * Did you name the eagle? We do not name rehab animals. They are wild and need to stay that way. Once they are able to feed themselves, they are left alone as much as possible. Martin tosses in food and only enters when he has to examine them, move them, or clean the area. * Was the eagle taught how to hunt? This eagle was given some live animals in order to learn how to kill and how to feed himself. Hunting is partly instinctual and partly learned. All eagles have to get it figured out through experience as they only spend a very short amount of time with their parents once they leave the nest. * Why wasn't the eagle released where he was found? Martin released the eagle in safe central area. This location allows the eagle time to orient himself. Since they fly, distance isn't a big issue. They are released well fed with a full crop that will give them a few weeks to find their next meal. * What will the eagle do without his parents around? This eagle would not have been around his parents much longer. Once they reach a certain age, the parents leave them on their own. * Will the eagle ever find his parents? If the eagle did, the parents would drive him out of their territory. Shortly after they leave, the young eagles are on their own, this is why 80% don't survive the first year. * How will the eagle survive on his own? All birds of prey face a very tough learning curve, 80% don't make it past their first year. They are not with their parents very long after they leave the nest. They rely primarily on their instincts and learning things from experience. * Will you track the eagle? We are not permitted to tag rehab animals. There are special circumstances to tag animals, but to track every animal we see would get quite costly and labor intensive. * Has the eagle come back? If he comes back, something has been done wrong, the eagle should not be bonded to Martin for food. * What do you do if you see an injured eagle? It is best not to approach the eagle. Take note of the surroundings and location and call police dispatch, not 911, or local fish and game. They can send someone out to care for the eagle. Please Visit: www.gowildlife.org/ www.martintyner.com/ Please Help: www.gowildlife.org/get-involved/ Rodent Pro Gift Certificates: www.gowildlife.org/get-involved/#add Martin's Book: www.gowildlife.org/healer-of-angels/ Please Shop our Amazon Wishlist: a.co/h1LMYgw Please support us through Amazon Smile: smile.amazon.com/ch/87-0570151 Mail Donations You are welcome to mail us a donation or call to ask any questions about our organization. Phone: (435) 586-4693 • (435) 590-1618 Address: P.O. Box 1907 Cedar City, UT 84721-1907 Checks Payable to: Southwest Wildlife Foundation of Utah Official Site: www.gowildlife.org/ YouTube: youtube.com/gowildlifeorg Facebook: www.facebook.com/Southwest-Wildlife-Foundation-Inc… Twitter: twitter.com/swfgowildlife Instagram: www.instagram.com/swfgowildlife/

I can just imagine the eagle telling his friends, this dude kidnapped me and force fed me all kinds of good food.

There is nothing like watching people committed to helping animals to renew ones’ faith in humanity. You do more than just save animals. Thank you.

What an honour to watch this. I am so enamoured by the great rescue service you give to eagles. You are so experienced and sensitive to the needs of the bird. I am very impressed!

I love the way this man talks to this bird with such love and kindness in his heart he makes my heart ❤️ just melt !!!

I'm so happy to see other rescuers. I have a lot of respect for our friend, Martin here. Birds are tricky and he's very good at getting them well enough to be free!

This man should be awarded the Nobel Prize.

Kudos to the dirt bike riders who found him. Thank you, Martin, so much for taking care of this beautiful young boy bird. You and Susan make a great team.

You can tell as soon as you fed that poor baby that he was relieved to be fed. He didn't hesitate at all to eat.

How the heck did this ended up in my recommended? Why am I crying?

Wonderful! what majestic creatures they are!! Martin you are God sent for these birds! THANK YOU!

God bless this man, the world needs more of his kind heart.

lol that guy "Can I pet it?! /pets gently/ wow" that was adorable.

Martin thank you for rescuing and rehabilitating this precious creature. I am so thankful for what you do. You sir are a great steward.

why do I have tears in my eyes? It was so moving to see him fly! Greetings from London, UK.

What a lovely elegant ending, just beautiful. Thank you.

Crying again love my animals so much bless you

I would trust this man with mine and my children’s lives.

The Golden was so accepting of the help, but up there when he was getting ready to be released, he was feeling the wind blowing through his feathers... scouting out the lay of the land...he was ready to go...but giving YOU ALL a minute before letting you know he was ready to go!! Beautiful release!! 💜💟🌻🌾

Such an admirable thing that you do for these birds.