She was Found in a Field with a Broken Wing
It started out as a typical March day for Audrey and Harvey Glick as they checked on beehives they had recently placed at the Sewee Preserve near Charleston, South Carolina. As new permanent residents in the area, they were becoming more familiar with the 400 acre nature area and its trails. Scanning some fields, they noticed a dark spot under a tree that looked out of place.
Audrey, a board member of Ohio Wildlife Center and veteran volunteer for the InfoLine, investigated further, only to discover what looked like a small raptor lying awkwardly on the ground.
“I quickly sent a photo to Stormy Gibson in Columbus, who confirmed it was an eagle,” Glick said. Knowing time is of the essence in any animal rescue, Glick was able to contact a local raptor rehabilitation organization that sent a staff member to retrieve the young, weeks-old bird. Its initial assessment by the professionals at the Avian Conservation Center and Center for Birds of Prey in Charleston County, S.C., was not promising.
Malnourished, dehydrated and lethargic, X-rays confirmed a humeral fracture that required surgery.
According to James Elliott, Jr., executive director of the center, “Post-surgical care was intense and the bird had some difficulties in managing balance with the external fixator and wing wraps in place.”
“Our prognosis at that point was optimistic but guarded,” he noted, “only to have her suffer a second fracture event to her radius and ulna. Another surgical intervention was not recommended and the bird was confirmed to be non-releasable soon after.”
Elliott said that a nutritional deficiency may have contributed to both fractures. The eagle, however, did respond well during its rehabilitation at the avian center. As a non-flighted bird, its options were limited to staff finding a sanctuary for permanent placement.
For the Glicks, finding a forever home for the young eagle at Ohio Wildlife Center grew from idea to reality through the efforts of many in Ohio and South Carolina. Initial discussions between Elliott and the staff at Ohio Wildlife Center were promising, but much hinged on the federal permitting process to designate the eagle as an education ambassador due to its permanent disabilities. Transferring the eagle between states also involved approvals from state division of wildlife officials.
“The overriding priority in all cases is the best interest for each bird,” Elliot said. “We feel very strongly about our obligation to ensure a valid purpose and the best quality of life for every bird that we assign to captivity,” Elliott said. “Sharing that obligation with like-minded facilities when possible results in the most ideal circumstances for the birds that deserve no less than the absolute best level of care,” he added. “We appreciated the opportunity to work with Ohio Wildlife Center in this instance.”
It was also good timing, in that Ohio Wildlife Center had just completed a grant-funded project to construct new outdoor enclosures that met the federal standards for accommodating Bald Eagles. These have strict dimensions and requirements for housing one of the most recognized raptors in the U.S.
By the fall months, the permitting process was coming to its conclusion, so the next step was transporting the eagle to its new enclosure in Ohio. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were not making the transfer a typical one. At the Glick’s request, long-time Ohio Wildlife Center supporters Friedl and Jean-Clare Bohm agreed to have the eagle fly back with them to Columbus on their Wheels Up charter flight that departed from Charleston Executive Airport on Johns Island, S.C.
On October 28th, the eagle, named Audrey, landed at The Ohio State University Airport at Don Scott Field in Columbus and was soon introduced to her new home at the Cook Road Education Center. Ohio Wildlife Center board president Valerie Swiatek and volunteer Cassandra Swiatek greeted the arriving flight, along with Stormy Gibson, assistant executive director and part-time staff member Kristi Krumlauf.
“This is a tremendous addition to our education program to have more Ohioans learn about the importance of Bald Eagles in our ecosystem,” said Dusty Lombardi, executive director of Ohio Wildlife Center. “We are grateful to all the individuals, the Glicks, the Bohms, and the rehab teams along the way that made this possible,” she said. “This eagle displays a lot of resilience and as an ambassador can provide insight about the recovery story of the whole species,” she said.
By 1980 in Ohio, Bald Eagles had only four breeding pairs in the entire state. The most recent census by the Ohio Division of Wildlife showed the state now has 700 active nests.
“We look forward to a future time when our community can meet and welcome Audrey in person,” Lombardi added.
She is now acclimating to the Midwest climate, her new animal care staff and the Education Center campus. Audrey is the second Bald Eagle Ambassador at Ohio Wildlife Center, joining Burton who was treated at the Wildlife Hospital several years ago for wing injuries.