Wildlife Wednesdays: Disney Magic of Flight Helps Injured Bald Eagles, Our National Emblem, Return to the Sky

Just in time for Independence Day, the public can get a behind-the-scenes look at the rehabilitation of injured bald eagles through the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey website. Called “Eagle Eyes on the Environment,” the sneak peek, supported in part by Disney to help inspire kids and families to connect with nature, included the installation of two video monitoring cameras in the Disney Magic of Flight 100-foot-long flight barn. Click here and see if you can spot an eagle testing its wings. Disney sponsored the building of the flight barn in 2001 and has been an ongoing supporter of the center, including regular visits by Disney VoluntEARS.

The eagles are recovering from a variety of ailments, according to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey staff. The most common injuries they treat are vehicle collisions, electrocution due to collisions with overhead power lines, young eagles falling from their nests, and territory fights. The center cares for more than 50 injured bald eagles each year.

The flight barn, which houses high perches, a pond and food platforms enables the birds undergoing rehabilitation to regain muscle strength and rebuild stamina before being released back into the wild. Over the years, it has helped thousands of birds literally try out their wings in preparation for returning to their natural habitats. Getting flight time enables eagles to return to the wild sooner, giving the center more room to treat even more injured birds.

The Audubon Center for Birds of Prey located in Maitland, Fla., has been supported through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) since the fund’s inception in 1995. For example, the fund provided support to the Audubon EagleWatch program for 8 years through its annual grants program. With more than 1,400 nesting pairs, Florida has one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the United States, excluding Alaska. Audubon EagleWatch helps in the conservation of bald eagles, recording information about the eagles, active nest locations, and potential disturbances or threats to nesting activities, and educating the public and key stakeholders about threats to bald eagles with the goal of engaging them in eagle conservation.

Did you know?

• Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom can see a bald eagle and a variety of other magnificent birds at the Flights of Wonder show.
• The bald eagle is one of the mascots of the new Wilderness Explorers experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The next time you visit, pick up a handbook (you’ll see a bald eagle and a bear on the cover) at the Wilderness Explorers headquarters on the bridge connecting the Oasis and Discovery Island. It’s fun for the whole family!

Wildlife Wednesdays: Disney Magic of Flight Helps Injured Bald Eagles, Our National Emblem, Return to the Sky by Kim Sams: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog