'Too Fat to Fly': Bald Eagle Believed to Be Injured Had Actually Just Eaten Too Much

'Too Fat to Fly': Bald Eagle Believed to Be Injured Had Actually Just Eaten Too Much

Facebook / Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Have you ever found yourself too full to move after a tasty meal? One of the United States’ national symbols can apparently relate.

According to a Facebook post from Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield in Missouri, there was recently a bald eagle – believed to be injured – found around the park’s boundary. Concerned observers contacted wildlife officials to help. When the Missouri Department of Conservation arrived and captured the bird, however, it turns out it was sluggish for an entirely different reason.

Closeup of bald eagle

The Facebook post says, “The bird, originally reported to be injured, was found to be healthy but engorged with racoon --- in other words, too fat to fly.”

The park shared some x-rays attesting to that fact. The images were taken by Dickerson Park Zoo, a little ways up the road in Springfield. In the first x-ray, you can see what appears to be a raccoon paw in the eagle’s stomach. There’s another x-ray showing how distended the eagle’s stomach had become.

Despite its roadside feast, the bird was no worse for the wear, though. The rest of the series of pictures shows it standing next to an open dog carrier as it was being released, along with a final photo of it flying away… maybe to find more snacks.

According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, bald eagles prefer to eat fish above all else. They’ll also eat other animals found along the water, though, including waterfowl and turtles. Other small animals are on the menu, too, including dead ones.

So, the next time you’re also feeling “too fat to fly” after a big meal, remember that our imposing bird symbol has been there, too.

Michelle Milliken

Michelle has a journalism degree and has spent more than seven years working in broadcast news. She's also been known to write some silly stuff for humor websites. When she's not writing, she's probably getting lost in nature, with a fully-stocked backpack, of course.

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