Injured bald eagle rescued from ditch in southern Alberta

Two women out for a walk near Cremona, Alta., on Tuesday night rescued an injured young bald eagle they found huddled in a ditch.

We sprung into action and managed to get my sweater over its head it is bloody cold outside I might add, lol, Denise Collins told CBC on Facebook.

Collins and her cousin Karnell Collinstook the bird to a wildlife reserve 40 kilometres south in Cochrane for treatment.

Its not clear exactly how the bird, probably a one-year-old female, became injured, said Clio Smeeton, president of the Cochrane Ecological Institute and Cochrane Wildlife Reserve Society.

This morning its a lot brighter but I had to force feed it, said Smeeton.Its really, really, really thin. But it hasnt got any broken bones.

Signs of neurological damage suggest the bird might have eaten poisoned gophers, which is a common hazard for migrating raptors, Smeeton said.

Its also possible the eagle, which was found underneath a power line, got an electric shock, she said.

Smeeton said it wont be clear for a few days whether the eagle will survive.