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How to Report a Dead or Injured Bald Eagle to Wildlife Authorities

By Freedom251 Team · · 7 min read

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If a bald eagle is injured, keep people and pets away, do not touch or move it, and call a permitted wildlife rehabilitator, local animal-control office, county wildlife agency, or your state wildlife agency. If it is dead, leave the carcass where it lies when feasible and report the exact location to the state wildlife agency or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Never take feathers, talons, bones, or any other part.

When you suspect shooting, poisoning, electrocution, intentional killing, or deliberate removal of parts, call the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement at 1-844-397-8477. Observe and photograph only from a safe distance. The correct contact depends on the eagle’s condition, the suspected cause, and your state.

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First, decide whether the eagle is alive or dead

Do not approach closely to make a diagnosis. Bald eagles can injure people with their talons and beaks, and an apparently quiet bird may still be stressed or dangerous. Keep children, pets, and bystanders back. Do not feed, give water to, cover, capture, or place the eagle in a vehicle.

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What you see Primary report route What to do immediately
An injured or grounded eagle that is alive Permitted wildlife rehabilitator, local animal control or county wildlife agency, or your state wildlife agency Keep everyone away; do not touch or move the bird. Give the responder the exact location and visible condition.
A dead eagle with no obvious criminal cause State wildlife agency or USFWS Leave the carcass in place when feasible. Do not collect or transport any part.
Possible shooting, poisoning, electrocution, intentional killing, or removed parts USFWS Office of Law Enforcement: 1-844-397-8477 Do not disturb the scene. Photograph from a safe distance and report promptly.

How to report an injured bald eagle

1. Make the area safe without handling the bird

Move people and pets away, but do not try to herd the eagle, throw a blanket over it, or put it in a box. Do not attempt to examine a wing, leg, or beak. A trained responder needs to decide whether capture and transport are safe.

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2. Call a qualified local contact

Start with a permitted wildlife rehabilitator, local animal-control office, county wildlife agency, or state wildlife agency. USFWS identifies local animal control and state wildlife agencies as the normal channels for ordinary wildlife matters at the state level. Tell the person answering that the animal is a bald eagle and is alive and injured; ask for a permitted professional who handles raptors if the first office does not provide direct care.

3. Give directions that a responder can use

Provide a street address, nearest intersection, park entrance, trail marker, or GPS coordinates. Describe the safest way to reach the site and whether the eagle is beside a road, near power equipment, in water, or in another hazardous location. Stay far enough away that your presence does not cause the bird to move, and remain available by phone if the responder needs clarification.

4. Wait for professional instructions

Wildlife rehabilitators have the permits, equipment, and training required to capture and stabilize a raptor. Do not transport an eagle yourself unless an authority specifically instructs you to do so. If you cannot reach a rehabilitator, call the state wildlife agency or local animal control and report the failed contact attempt and the bird’s location.

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How to report a dead bald eagle

Leave the carcass where it is when feasible

USFWS advises members of the public not to salvage an eagle carcass or any part of it. Leave the body in place and keep people and pets away while you make the report. If the location presents an immediate hazard to people or traffic, tell the agency when you call rather than moving the carcass yourself.

Report the exact location

Call your state wildlife management agency or USFWS and explain that you found a deceased bald eagle. Give the exact address or GPS coordinates, the date and time you found it, and landmarks that will still be visible to an officer or biologist. State whether the carcass is whole, whether feathers or other parts appear to be missing, and whether it is close to a road, power line, fence, building, or body of water.

Do not keep feathers or other remains

Do not take a feather, talon, bone, wing, beak, or any other part as a souvenir or for identification. Do not put the carcass in a bag, freezer, vehicle, or shed. The federal bald- and golden-eagle regulations restrict possession and salvage, and the USFWS FAQ specifically directs the public to report deceased eagles or parts to a state wildlife management agency instead of attempting salvage.

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When the death may involve a crime or dangerous hazard

Call the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement at 1-844-397-8477 immediately if you suspect any of the following:

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  • A gunshot or other intentional killing.
  • Poisoning or bait intended to kill wildlife.
  • Electrocution or another utility-related hazard.
  • Deliberate removal of feathers, talons, bones, or other body parts.
  • Any person disturbing, possessing, or selling eagle remains.

Do not touch the eagle, nearby objects, ammunition, bait, traps, wires, or footprints. Do not move vehicles or equipment that may be part of the scene. Photograph from a safe distance, note who was present, and preserve the original location until law-enforcement personnel give instructions. If you are uncertain whether a cause is suspicious, report the facts without making a definitive accusation; investigators can determine what happened.

Information to record before you call

USFWS policy emphasizes prompt, standardized injury and mortality reporting. Write down the following while remaining away from the bird:

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  • Date and time: Include when you first saw the eagle and, if different, when you made the call.
  • Exact location: Street address, GPS coordinates, trail or road name, county, and nearby landmarks.
  • Condition: Alive or dead; standing, lying down, unable to fly, bleeding, entangled, or showing another visible problem.
  • Possible cause: For example, collision debris, a visible power line, suspected gunshot, bait, or no obvious cause. Describe only what you can see.
  • Nearby hazards: Traffic, utility equipment, fencing, construction, water, aggressive animals, or crowds.
  • Identification marks: Any leg band, color marker, transmitter, or other tracking device visible without approaching.
  • Photographs: Wide views that show the location and hazard, taken from a safe distance. Do not move objects to obtain a closer image.

Never handle the eagle to read a band or inspect an injury. If a band or tracking device is visible, include its color, number, shape, and position in your report. Band recoveries should also be reported to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory; ask the wildlife agency or responder how to submit the details.

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Which authority should you call?

State and local wildlife contacts

For a routine injured-bird call, state wildlife agencies, county wildlife offices, animal control, and permitted rehabilitators are usually the fastest route to hands-on care. They can dispatch a responder, provide a current rehabilitator contact, or explain whether another agency handles the site. Hotline names and numbers vary by state, so do not rely on a number published for a different state.

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USFWS

USFWS is the federal wildlife authority for eagle-protection matters and receives reports of dead eagles, eagle parts, and suspected violations. For suspected criminal activity or deliberate harm, use the Office of Law Enforcement number above rather than waiting for a routine rehabilitation callback.

Federal, tribal, or state custody of remains

The National Eagle Repository is the federal collection and distribution point for deceased bald and golden eagles. Under 50 CFR 21.16(a), remains may also be turned in to a federal, tribal, or state wildlife agency. That does not mean a member of the public should transport or store a carcass. Report it first and follow the receiving agency’s instructions.

State examples: why your location matters

Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission guidance directs the public toward a local rehabilitator, the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, or FWC Wildlife Alert at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Tell the operator whether the eagle is alive or dead and provide the precise county and location. A Florida number is not a nationwide hotline; callers elsewhere should use their own state agency or local wildlife contact.

Washington

Washington guidance says to contact a permitted rehabilitator for an injured eagle and not to touch or move it. For a dead eagle, the guidance directs the public to contact USFWS. The difference from Florida illustrates why the state and the bird’s condition should be established before choosing a routine contact.

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What not to do

  • Do not touch, move, feed, water, capture, or keep an injured eagle.
  • Do not pick up a dead eagle or retain feathers, talons, bones, or other parts.
  • Do not put an eagle in a vehicle, box, freezer, or shed unless an authority explicitly directs and assists you.
  • Do not allow pets or crowds to approach while you wait.
  • Do not clean up suspected poison, bait, ammunition, or other evidence.
  • Do not post a close-up handling video or invite others to collect parts.
  • Do not assume a general wildlife number from another state applies where you live.

If you cannot reach anyone immediately

Keep the area quiet and continue to observe from a safe distance. Leave a voicemail with your name, callback number, exact location, condition, and the time you found the eagle. Try the next appropriate contact—state wildlife agency, local animal control, or a permitted rehabilitator. If you see signs of intentional harm, poisoning, electrocution, or removed parts, use the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement number rather than treating the report as an ordinary rehabilitation case.

Quick decision checklist

  1. Stay back; keep people and pets away.
  2. Confirm only whether the eagle appears alive or dead—do not touch it.
  3. Record the exact location, time, visible condition, hazards, and any visible band or tracking device.
  4. For an injured bird, call a permitted rehabilitator, local animal control, county wildlife agency, or state wildlife agency.
  5. For a dead bird, leave it in place when feasible and report it to the state wildlife agency or USFWS.
  6. For suspected shooting, poisoning, electrocution, intentional killing, or removed parts, call USFWS Law Enforcement at 1-844-397-8477.
  7. Follow the agency’s instructions about access, photographs, band recovery, and any official collection of remains.

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bald eagleinjured wildlifeUSFWSwildlife authoritieswildlife lawwildlife rehabilitation

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