Bald Eagle Rescued From Florida Storm Drain After Brawl With Another Eagle

The injured eagle became stuck in a Florida storm drain for about 90 minutes.

ByABC News
November 10, 2016, 7:51 PM

— -- A bald eagle in Florida was rescued Thursday night after being stuck in a storm drain for about 90 minutes after fighting with another bald eagle.

“I saw two eagles fighting in the sky and they just dropped right into the drain, so I immediately pulled over,” witness Edward Bickerstaff told ABC affiliate WFTV.

One of the eagles stayed on top of the eagle that was stuck for about 30 minutes then flew away.

When the bird flew away, the stuck eagle, a female, fell into the drain.

Experts say the birds were fighting over territory.

Portions of the road were closed as crews worked to retrieve the eagle from the drain, and WFTVbroadcast the rescue live on Facebook for the entirety of the ordeal.

Officials said it will take about six weeks for the animal to recover from its injuries and be released back into the wild.

The 5-year-old eagle had injuries on her leg and chest, and has a cracked beak.

Video shows the eagle attempting to flap its wings as workers pull it from the drain. Dozens of people gathered at the scene to witness the rescue, while millions more watched saw it on Facebook.

PHOTO: One bald eagle shielded another as rescue teams attempted to free it from a storm drain in Orlando.
One bald eagle shielded another as rescue teams attempted to free it from a storm drain in Orlando.