Eagle euthanized after airport tree rescue in Juneau

JUNEAU, Alaska – A bald eagle rescued after it was found dangling from a tree near the Juneau International Airport has been euthanized after a veterinary exam found the bird in poor physical condition, according to the city.

The city, in a statement on social media, said the eagle was rescued Monday after the airport was notified of a possible dead eagle in a tree on airport property.

John “JD” McComas, an airport wildlife biologist who works under contract through a federal agency, climbed a fire ladder to reach the bird and saw one of its feet “wedged into” a branch, the city said. He brought the eagle down and handed it over to the director of the Juneau Raptor Center, the city said.

A subsequent veterinary exam showed the eagle had previously suffered a broken leg that affected its ability to forage, and the “very thin” bird was considered to have a low likelihood of surviving, the city said. The eagle was euthanized Tuesday.