Virginia State Parks are the perfect location for wildlife releases, especially for Bald Eagles. The scenic and protected areas across the commonwealth make a great home for many wildlife animals.

When birds are found injured, they are taken to a rehabilitation center for treatment until they are ready to take flight once again. Once they are cleared for release, they are taken to the best and safest location based on where they were found. The goal is for these animals to thrive and return to their old habitat.

This female eagle was found in Northampton County, so Kiptopeke State Park was easily the best choice for the release.

Bald Eagle #24-0336

This mature eagle was found on the ground in a field in Northampton County on March 20, 2024. Upon admission to the Wildlife Center of Virginia, the veterinary team found a significant ulna fracture in the eagle's left wing, with a large hematoma present. 

The vet team carefully bandaged the eagle's wing and started the bird on pain medication and anti-inflammatories, followed by laser therapy and physical therapy. By June, the eagle's fracture had healed, and she was ready to begin flight conditioning. 

Photo credit: Glenn Miller

During exercise sessions, the eagle initially had a left-wing droop, but the wing droop resolved as the bird rebuilt her strength and stamina.

After five months of treatment and care, Bald Eagle #24-0336 has returned to the skies and was released at Kiptopeke State Park on the afternoon of August 16, 2024.

Why release at Kiptopeke?

On August 10, the eagle was officially cleared for release, and Kiptopeke State Park was chosen as the release site based on the bird being rescued in Northampton County, where the park is located.

Certain criteria are looked at when picking release locations, such as releasing close to where they were rescued, needing an open space (not a swamp or wetland) that has some large trees, and a spot for the eagle to roost after being released. 

Photo credit: Glenn Miller

I spoke with Connor Gillespie, Director of Outreach at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, and he explained more about previous releases at the park and why they have been so successful.

“The last eagle release at Kiptopeke State Park was back in 2014 when we did three eagle releases there,” said Gillespie. “When we release an eagle, we always try to release them in the county where they were rescued. This is especially important for mature eagles like this one since it will be familiar territory. We decided that Kiptopeke State Park would be a great location—it’s right next to the Chesapeake Bay, which is prime eagle habitat, and there are plenty of trees nearby where the eagle can perch to rest as it gets re-acclimated to life in the wild.”

​​​​​​​Photo credit: Glenn Miller

Another person in attendance was Kiptopeke State Park Assistant Manager Stephanie Venarchick, who explained how excited the crowd was to watch the release.

“It was amazing getting to watch the eagle return back to nature, and she was ready to go and did not hesitate,” said Venarchick. “It was also great to see the community come together for the release as there were attendees from all over; some drove over 3 hours from MD, and there were attendees from Hanover, Williamsburg and Charlottesville. A lot of attendees had never been to the park before and they stayed after to enjoy it. This was a fun event to share with the public.”

Wildlife Center of Virginia

Connor Gillespie has worked at the Wildlife Center of Virginia for four years and is currently the Director of Outreach overseeing the overall communication, programs and education animal care at the Center.

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Photo credit: Glenn Miller

“I love sharing the Center’s work with the public, especially at releases like this where they can see the culmination of many months of treatment and veterinary care,” said Gillespie. “We’re a non-profit and do not receive any government funding, so everything that we are able to do—from our emergency veterinary care for wildlife to conservation and teaching—is all thanks to the kindness of people who have donated to make it possible. So this release is one way we can say thank you and invite the community out to see what they made possible—a second chance at life in the wild for this eagle.”

Public releases like this are so important because they are an opportunity for the center to share its work with the public and thank all those who help support that work. This will be the fourth eagle release Gillespie has attended in person, although he has helped set up and coordinate many more during his time at the center.

​​​​​​​Photo credit: Glenn Miller

“We’ve definitely had a lot of eagles coming in over the past several years; just last year, we had a record-breaking year for eagle admissions—66 in total,” explained Gillespie. “Most of these birds come in because of lead toxicosis —a big problem for Bald Eagles—and vehicle collisions.”

The vet team said this eagle is very large and weighs about 11 pounds. It has been determined that she is likely around four years old based on the feathers on her head. Eagles start to develop white feathers around three years old, and they don’t fully come in until five. The feathers on this eagle’s head are mostly white, but it still has some brown streaks, so they can accurately estimate that she’s four.

Photo credit: Glenn Miller

Everyone was excited to see her take flight and return to the wild.

What to do if you encounter an injured bird or wild animal

If someone finds an injured eagle—or any injured wild animal—the best thing to do is call a wildlife rehabilitator (find permitted wildlife rehabilitators listed here) for help.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia is the largest wildlife hospital in the state, and they are open every day of the year to help when people encounter injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife.

“When people call us about eagles, our first step is to determine if the eagle is truly in need of help, and if it is, we’ll help coordinate its rescue,” said Gillespie. “Eagles, in particular, can be difficult to capture given their size and large talons, and they can often move fairly quickly on the ground even if they aren’t flighted, so we’ll try to send an experienced volunteer or connect them with a rescue organization like Tidewater Wildlife Rescue. Once an eagle is captured, we’ll arrange transport to our center, as we’re one of the few organizations in the state permitted to treat Bald Eagles.”

You can reach the Wildlife Center of Virginia by phone at 540-942-9453 or by email wildlife@wildlifecenter.org.