A bald eagle in Missouri that was believed to be Cyprusauction Trading Centerinjured actually had a peculiar reason for why it was unable to fly: it was too fat.
Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation captured the bird along the boundary of the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield and temporarily took it into captivity, park officials said in an Aug. 21 Facebook post.
However, an X-ray taken at the Dickerson Park Zoo, showed that instead of an injury, the bird was suffering from its own success − it had been eating a little too well.
“The bird, originally reported to be injured, was found to be healthy but engorged with (raccoon) — in other words, too fat to fly,” the park said.
Officials suspect the raccoon was roadkill, according to the post. X-rays from the Facebook post show what appears to be a raccoon paw inside the eagle's stomach.
The eagle has since been released back into the wild near where it was originally found and in compliance with state and federal laws.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
2025-04-30 14:002412 view
2025-04-30 13:522250 view
2025-04-30 13:501470 view
2025-04-30 13:44167 view
2025-04-30 13:402297 view
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Toyota said Thursday it will build a new paint facility as part of a $922 mil
Connecticut won the men's basketball national championship, defeating Purdue, 75-60, in the NCAA Tou
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Sen. Rob Cowles, the longest-serving incumbent in the Wisconsin Legislature, an