A juvenile golden eagle rehabilitated by Washington State University wildlife veterinarians has a permanent home at the Yakama Nation Eagle Aviary.
The male golden eagle is the second eagle at the aviary in the Satus area. The tribal facility houses eagles and other birds of prey that can't be released in the wild for ceremonial and educational purposes.
The young golden eagle was taken in early October to WSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Pullman for a broken left wing and injured left eye after possibly being struck by a car, according to a news release from the university.
Though the golden eagle can fly — his wing was repaired and has healed — the raptor is unable to hunt in the wild because of eye trauma. Along with the other eagle at the Yakama Nation's aviary, the golden eagle joins a red-tailed hawk named Apollo, who was also rehabilitated at WSU more than 10 years ago, the news release said.
The aviary is part of the Yakama Nation Wildlife Resource Management Program and is located on land in the Lower Yakima Valley that is home to the tribe's buffalo herd. The eagle's feathers, which represent courage, strength and wisdom in many Native American cultures, can be collected and distributed to tribal citizens at graduations, weddings, funerals and cultural celebrations, the release said.
"The eagle is very sacred to us and has great significance in our lives," said Jerry Meninick, a Yakama elder, previous Yakama Nation Tribal Council member and current deputy director of culture. "To us, the eagle is a messenger, meaning it not only has a responsibility here on Earth, but it has connection and communicates to the spiritual side of our lives."
Protections
Eagles are protected under two federal laws: the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. No one, including Native Americans, is allowed to capture or kill eagles without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Eagles are also protected under the Yakama Law and Order Code.
The young golden eagle was placed with the Yakama Nation following a process by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that gives tribes in the region an equal opportunity to take in unreleasable birds of prey with cultural significance. The bird was treated by WSU wildlife veterinarians during that time.
While eagle feathers are mostly salvaged from the carcasses of dead birds, the Yakama Nation aviary brings an opportunity to collect feathers from eagles through natural molting.
The only other way to obtain eagle feathers legally is through the National Eagle Repository in Colorado, said Michael Beckler, wildlife biologist for the Yakama Nation. The repository receives, evaluates, stores and distributes dead golden and bald eagles, parts and feathers to Native Americans and Alaska Natives who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes throughout the United States.
All eagles that die or are euthanized at WSU and other rehabilitation centers are sent to the feather repository, which sees high demand. It can take months to fulfill orders, Beckler said.
"By housing and caring for these birds at our aviary, we can meet the needs of our 14 bands and tribes that make up the Confederated Tribes (and Bands) of the Yakama Nation, and not need to go through the national repository," he said. "That would also increase feather availability at the repository for those other tribes who don't have an aviary."
Expansion plans
Beckler said the tribe hopes to expand the aviary to house up to 40 birds of prey. At capacity, such a facility could collect around 300,000 eagle feathers annually.
The future aviary site will feature a classroom, three large eagle enclosures, side mews and a food prep area with a walk-in freezer, according to information on the wildlife management program website. Two enclosures will be for free-flighted eagles, the last for non-flighted eagles.
Along with a potential capacity to house 30 eagles, aviary plans include a row of 13 smaller enclosures for program birds and isolation areas.
Though the young golden eagle's wing injury was repairable, he wouldn't survive in the wild because of the trauma to his eye, so he couldn't be released, said WSU wildlife veterinarian Dr. Marcie Logsdon.
"He is a perfect candidate for placement and those just don't come around often," she said, noting that the bird's vision will not affect his quality of life in captivity, Logsdon said.
Logsdon said she is "incredibly honored" to be part of the effort.
"Native American tribes have been on this landscape a lot longer than we have, and they have had a sustainable relationship with these birds for generations," she added. "This isn't a perfect resolution, but it is an opportunity for them to continue interact with these birds for ceremonial and religious purposes."
