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Suffolk County Police were called Thursday, Sept. 22, with reports of a bald eagle that had been struck by a vehicle in Manorville on the Sunrise Highway.
Police requested additional support from officers with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), who helped safely capture the juvenile bird and place it in a cage, the agency said.
The animal was then taken to a local rehabilitator for an X-ray and further treatment.
Upon closer examination, however, the rehabilitator discovered that the bald eagle had suffered an injury to its wing, the DEC said.
“Unfortunately, after an examination by a veterinarian, the damage was more extensive than expected and the bird was euthanized,” the agency said in a statement.
According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, collisions with vehicles are the leading killer of America’s national bird, with nearly 1,500 bald eagles dying from vehicular trauma between 1986 and 2017.
Wildlife experts said this is likely due to the fact that bald eagles are scavengers and often eat roadkill, placing them in direct danger from vehicles.
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