The rehabilitation center had been taking care of the eagle since December 2020 after a volunteer participating in the annual bird count saw it in a creek bed at Bernheim Forest.
Raptor Rehabilitation says the young bird had too much internal trauma to overcome. The likely cause of death is a result of her injuries came when she fell from a tree onto rocks as lead poisoning began to affect her neurologically.
“She simply didn’t have the strength to flap her wings and arrest her fall,” read the Facebook post. “Hopefully, her story will not be in vein and will help bring awareness to the dangers of lead poisoning.”
In a reminder, Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky encourages responsible hunting and to make every attempt to minimize the use of lead shots.
Additionally, the organization says when fishing, find lead free alternatives for traditional sinkers and tackle.