Bald Eagle 174 got its pre-flight checkup Tuesday morning at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center in Lucas.
"We will check their wings and check to make sure they have full range of motion," Blackland Prairie Raptor Center Veterinarian Dr. Janel Mason said. "We're just making sure that they are in good enough condition to be released.
The young bald eagle was found in Corsicana after falling from its nest in a storm, with no parents in sight.
"Yeah, so we've had her for a long time," Blackland Prairie Raptor Center Rehabilitation Manager Hailey LeBaron said. "She came to us unable to fly."
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The young eagle was at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center for 6-months, learning to fly and fish.
"She is a mean eagle who does not want to be with us, and she has made that clear," LeBaron said. "And I do say 'she'. We don't know what gender this bird is, and we wouldn't know until we saw an egg."
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The best guess is a female because they are typically 30% heavier than their male counterparts.
Bald eagles were on the endangered species list from 1978 until 2007 but are now considered a conservation success story.
"We have seen their numbers increase in this area in particular," LeBaron said. "We are seeing them change and adapt into environments that they're not commonly in."
After the release exam, Bald Eagle 174 was off to its new home.
"We're gonna go up north to release this bald eagle," LeBaron said.
The raptor was loaded into a crate and driven to the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge in Sherman, where after a slight hesitation leaving its crate, the eagle flew off over the water to its new home.
The Blackland Prairie Raptor Center relies on donations to rehabilitate birds. You can follow them on Facebook for upcoming events and camping opportunities.
