Maitland, FL (April 21, 2016) - Audubon Center for Birds of Prey experts and special guests will release the 540th rehabilitated Bald Eagle back into the Florida skies at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 21 at the J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park, in Port Richey, FL. This eagle is a symbol not only of our nation but the success of the Bald Eagle recovery efforts by Audubon through education, conservation, and rehabilitation.

“Eagles remind us to protect Florida’s special places so that these magnificent birds and all the other wildlife have places to call homes,” said Eric Draper, Executive Director, Audubon Florida. “We are proud of our role in rescuing Bald Eagles and returning them to the wild.” 

On January 25, volunteers with the Audubon EagleWatch citizen science program reported seeing an eagle on the ground beneath an active eagle nest with chicks in Hudson, located in Pasco County. The volunteer contacted Kris Porter of Owl’s Nest Sanctuary, who rescued the bird and transported it to Busch Gardens in Tampa for medical evaluation. Audubon later learned that this bird did not belong to that nest, and its injury was probably due to a territory fight.

Veterinarians at Busch Gardens diagnosed the bird with a broken ulna (a bone in the wing). After the bone had healed, the eagle was transported to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland for rehabilitation and flight reconditioning in the Center’s Magic of Flight Barn. Audubon staff worked with the bird for about a month until it was deemed strong enough to survive in the wild.

Brad Andrews, Executive Director of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund will release the eagle on Thursday, April 21. The Conservation Fund has been supporting Audubon’s Bald Eagle rescue and rehabilitation work since 2004.

“The recovery of the bald eagle is perhaps the most successful conservation achievement in our country.  Organizations like the Audubon Bird of Prey Center continue to have a major role in the recovery of bald eagles and other birds of prey.  The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund is proud to be a long-time supporter of the Center and to have a part in protecting our national bird and symbol of freedom” states Brad Andrews, Executive Director, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund.

Audubon staff will band the eagle with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife identification band and release the bird at the Starkey Wilderness Park in Pasco County (10500 Wilderness Park Blvd, Port Richey, FL 34655).