Injured Bald Eagle Located In Readington Township Being Treated

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Local animal control officers came across a bit of a rare bird in Neshanic Station in Readington Township on Sunday, when they rescued an injured juvenile bald eagle that was unable to fly.

The eagle was located on Higginsville Road and after officer Claudia Murin determined it was unable to fly, the eagle was transported to The Raptor Trust Bird Rehabilitation and Education Center in Basking Ridge. Once there, X-Rays revealed that the eagle had a left shoulder injury, which prevented it from flying, Beth Engleman, vice president of Animal Control Solutions, LLC, said Tuesday.

Engleman said that animal control officers encountering bald eagles is extremely air despite the growing population of bald eagles in New Jersey. According to state officials, there are more than 220 nesting pairs of bald eagles in New Jersey with most being located in Delaware Bay counties like Cumberland and Salem. However, they can be found in all of the state's 21 counties, state officials said.

The eagle remains under observation at Raptor Trust while it rests and recovers. The state and federal bands around the bird’s ankles indicate that the eagle fledged on June 22 before being found on Sunday unable to fly. Anyone wishing to make a donation toward the bald eagle’s recovery may do so here.