Return to the wild: Poisoned bald eagle flies again in Kootenai County

COEUR d’ALENE — The bald eagle Don Veltkamp held in his arms Thursday looked alert and strong, even anxious. Just a few weeks ago, it was lethargic and weak.

Now, with about 50 kids at Camp Lutherhaven watching, it was ready to fly free again.

So when Veltkamp tossed it into the wind, that’s what it did.

The large female adult eagle soared between pine trees and angled upward. It swooped back over the children, who screamed and scrambled when it pooped in their direction before disappearing into the distance.

“National Geographic perfect,” said a happy Jane Veltkamp. “Did you see her gain altitude as she took off? That’s what you want to see. That’s a well-conditioned bird."

The Veltkamps own and operate Birds of Prey Northwest based in St. Maries. Their mission is to educate the public about birds of prey and provide medical treatment to injured, sick or orphaned wild raptors.

The eagle released Thursday was found near Camp Lutherhaven early this month and connected with Birds of Prey Northwest.

Jane Veltkamp said it showed signs of poisoning.

“Poisoning is a big problem for eagles because they’re opportunistic scavengers. Sure, they like fish, but they’ll take the easy way out if there’s something dead and that’s where the problem comes in," she said.

Jane Veltkamp said they flushed the eagle’s system with liquids and let her regain strength in the exercise flight aviary. They wanted to return her to the wild as soon as she was ready.

“We don’t want to hold it any longer because she might have a family,” Jane Veltkamp said. “She’s recovered, so she’s going to go back today.”

Veltkamp, a raptor biologist, estimated the eagle was about 5 years old, weighed about 12 pounds and had a 6-foot wingspan.

Don Veltkamp said bald eagles have incredible homing abilities.

“She’ll be back where she came from within minutes because they can cover a lot of ground fast,” he said. 

One student, after watching the release, asked if she could handle bald eagles.

“Wait until you grow up,” Jane Veltkamp said. “We make it look easy, but it can be very dangerous to handle. That’s why we have Kevlar gloves on and the bird had her head covered for safety.

“The feet are the business end of any birds of prey," she added.

Kate Preudhomme, Lutherhaven outdoor education coordinator, said Birds of Prey Northwest has been presenting programs there for the past four weeks. Children have learned about raptors and their role in the ecosystem.

“They do a great job of teaching the kids,” she said.

Jane Veltkamp said giving youth a closer view of bald eagles creates a connection.

“These close experiences give them a chance to relate to the species,” she said. "Like this bald eagle, usually it’s thousands of feet away. They were 20 feet away from a bald eagle. That is something they can relate to."

Birds of Prey is a nonprofit that has been rehabilitating injured birds for more than 25 years. It offers tours by appointment and travels to give raptor presentations.

Info: www.birdsofpreynorthwest.org and 208-582-0797

    Kids at Camp Lutherhaven watch as Birds of Prey Northwest prepares to release a rehabbed bald eagle on Thursday.
  

    Don Veltkamp and a bald eagle exchange glances before he released it on Thursday.
  

    A bald eagle rests in Don Veltkamp's arms before being released on Thursday.
  

    A bald eagle takes flight after being released on Thursday by Birds of Prey Northwest.