A wildlife rescue centre in Nova Scotia is waiting on good weather to return a special bird to the skies.
Hope for Wildlife says a golden eagle — a bird not usually found in the Maritimes — was grounded and unwilling to fly when it was found in Prince Edward Island about a month ago, but now seems healthy and strong.
Hope Swinimer, founder of the centre, says the bird got a full exam and nothing was wrong, so it’s possible the raptor was simply exhausted from flying or was working through something and needed time to recover.
She says volunteers are waiting for a week with good weather to release the bird so it can migrate.
Nick Lund, a network manager for the conservation group Maine Audubon, calls the eagle a wanderer.
He says golden eagles breed in western North America, from the mountains of central Mexico up through Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska, and migrate great distances in the winter to find better areas to hunt.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2025.