DNR seeking tips to solve bald eagle shooting in Milwaukee County
Law enforcement officials are seeking tips to help solve the case of a shooting of a bald eagle in Milwaukee County.
The bird, an adult male, was found unable to fly Wednesday on private property in Franklin. A person reported the grounded bird to the Department of Natural Resources and conservation wardens collected the animal Wednesday and transported it to the Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Milwaukee.
An examination showed it had been shot with a firearm. The bird had a fractured humerus bone and a substantial wound to muscle and other soft tissues in its wing. The humerus is the bone in the upper wing that withstands the most force of a bird in flight. The tip of the eagle's beak was also broken.
Emergency surgery was performed Thursday to stabilize the fracture at Blue Pearl Hospital and Specialty Care in Glendale. Tests also revealed the eagle has a slightly elevated level of lead in its blood.
Eagles and their nests are federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Under the Eagle Protection Act, wounding or killing an eagle can result in a fine of $100,000 and one year in prison for a first offense, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A second violation is a felony and carries heftier punishments.
After the pesticide DDT was prohibited by law – Wisconsin was the first to ban its use in 1972 – and with protections under the Endangered Species Act starting in 1978, eagles began to mount a comeback.
Bald eagles were removed from the state endangered species list in 1997 and the federal list in 2007. They are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and other federal laws.
After suffering from a range of forces, including the effects of DDT and other chemicals that caused eggs to thin and reduced eaglet production, the species has rebounded in Wisconsin in recent decades.
The number of occupied bald eagle nests in Wisconsin increased from 107 in 1974 to 1,684 in 2019, according to DNR data.
This year marked a milestone in eagle recovery when several active eagle nests were documented in Milwaukee County, the last of the state's 72 counties to have such activity during the species' comeback.
Two eagle nests, including at least one termed "active," were observed in 2022 on Milwaukee County Parks Department properties in the southern part of the county.
It's not known if the adult male eagle found shot last week was one of the nesting pairs.
The bird was found near West Oakwood Road and South 112th Street in Franklin, according to DNR conservation warden Sam Haferkorn.
On Monday the bird's condition was "heavily guarded," said Crystal Sharlow-Schaefer, WHS wildlife director.
If the bird is able to gain strength it is likely require additional surgery to ensure proper alignment of the broken bone.
The DNR is asking for tips that may be useful in identifying the responsible party or parties. To make an anonymous report, call or text the DNR Tip Line at (800) 847-9367.
"We're looking for any information from the public, no matter how small it seems," Haferkorn said. "If people heard gun shots or anything out of the ordinary in that area of Franklin last week, please contact us."
Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: DNR seeking help after bald eagle is shot in Milwaukee County
