The eaglets, designated E24 and E25, started having seizures over the past few days. E24 died in the nest and E25 fell from the nest and was found dead. Both remains were recovered by the wildlife center. The diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza was announced at a press conference called by clinic officials Thursday morning to discuss the deaths.
It was surmised the birds may have contracted the disease via an infected bird they consumed. The eaglets' parents, identified as M15 and F23, have been seen around the nest site but little is known about their health status. During the media briefing at the nest site, Alison Charney Hussey, the clinic's executive director, clarified what she said was misinformation that was spread on social media about the eaglets. And I want to point out to you that we did not have authorization to pull E25 from the nest at the time of that retrieval, but our veterinarian on scene completed a visual exam and found E25 bright and alert and with no signs of stress.
Hussey said that to minimize potential effects of human contact with the surviving eaglet at that time, which was actively avoiding the CROW veterinarian and moving closer to the edge of the nest, the vet quickly returned to the ground to avoid any further issues.
She added: "I want to again point out to you that, at that time, E25 was not showing any signs of stress, was being actively cared for by the parents and being fed so there were, there are inherent risks when interfering with wild nests, and that those must be considered very carefully any time intervention is performed at a nest.
Hussey also said the deaths had been difficult to take. Our CROW team was deeply affected by the loss of these eaglets. Veterinarian Dr. Jessica Comolli, CROW's research and medical director, said the clinic's hospital received notification that the two eaglets tested positive for HPAI, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, a virus that causes high mortality in the species of susceptible birds, which usually includes poultry but also many wild birds. Comolli said the strain of avian influenza has caused devastating losses in the birds it infects.
