Bald eagle that fell in storm drain dies, caretakers say

ORLANDO, Fla. — A bald eagle that was rescued from a storm drain last week has died, Channel 9 Angela Jacobs learned.

Caretakers said the eagle took a turn for the worse on Monday.

The eagle had been moved from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey to Winter Park Veterinary Hospital Monday on Lee Road in order to provide intensive care, but on Tuesday the eagle passed away.

Video of rescue from drain: Part 1 | Part 2 

The Audubon Center’s Michael Goldman said two eagles were fighting last week, most likely over territory, when they landed on a storm drain on Curry Ford Road near Goldenrod Road.

When one of the eagles flew away, the female eagle fell into the drain.

The eagle’s caregivers said that due to its puncture wounds, the animal had accumulated fluid around its heart and lung. The eagle was also being treated for possible organ failure.

Experts said the story has brought awareness and resulted in an influx of donations that will be put towards helping the hundreds of other birds at the Audubon Center. %

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Dianna Flynt helped save the eagles, and said she was saddened to find out the female eagle died.

"We failed. We lost her and it's a sad moment. We can't save all of them as a medical facility,” said Flynt.

Flynt said she hopes a necropsy that will be performed at the University of Georgia will explain why it died and how they can better care for other injured eagles.

“I think we learn a lot from every case that we lose,” said Flynt.

The Audubon Center is still helping about 15 eagles, five of which will never be released into the wild.

It costs about $3,000 to treat, rehabilitate and release an eagle.

The center said donations are up and more than 300,000 people visited its Facebook page to learn about the eagle.

The eagles remains will go to the National Eagle Repository and its feathers will be donated to Native American tribes.

You can see photos of the eagle below: 

Cox Media Group