Wausau Daily herald
Friday, March 14, 2003

Marge Gibson of the Raptor Education Group Inc. in Antigo thought Wausau residents might be interested to know that a baby eagle rescued in July 2001 near a nest on Golf Club Road has been released to start a new life in the wild.

Gibson released the eagle, which she refers to as Wausau Chick, in Sauk City on Feb. 28 after two years of rehabilitation and socialization with a foster mother eagle and others in Antigo.

In July 2001, neighboring residents were delighted with the birds and watched them and their urban nest closely. When they found the male chick lying under the nest, they called Gibson.

She thinks the bird was forced from the nest by the other chick, an older female. Food was scarce because the parent eagles had difficulty feeding their young. Their contact with organic phosphates prevented them from handling food with their feet.

When Wausau Chick was brought to the Raptor Education Group, he had an injured chest and pneumonia and was suffering from starvation and dehydration. After the ordeal with his sister, he also was deathly afraid of other eagles, Gibson said.

Only recently did Gibson feel confident that he could be released.