Ocheyedan, Iowa (KTIV) — A bald eagle trapped in the wheel well of an old car was rescued by wildlife rehabilitation experts last week after a farmer discovered the injured bird near Ocheyedan.
The eagle, named Buckbeak by its rescuers, was found by an Osceola County farmer who monitored the bird for hours before calling for help when no progress was made.
Wildlife rehabilitation experts from Homestead Small Animal Practice in Spencer, Iowa, responded to the call and found the eagle’s wing stuck in the wheel well.
“So he was literally just jammed in the wheel well, so we had to go, and we were taking flashlights and we were breaking down the tire around his wing. We eventually got it out, and miraculously, he didn’t have any injuries or anything; it was just soft tissue injuries,” said Dr. Sam Ford, Master Wildlife Rehabilitation.
Buckbeak spent several days at a clinic receiving physical therapy for range of motion and antibiotics to help his wounds heal.
“I didn’t want him to stay too long and get any kind of muscle disuse atrophy or anything like that. We always worry about that, especially with the big guys that are really heavy. He was almost 12 pounds, so he was a big boy. So I didn’t want him to get any kind of weakness with his wings,” Ford said.
The eagle was released on the same farm where he was found.
