Tag: Eagle

Washington man accused of shooting, killing bald eagle facing federal charges

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Federal criminal charges have been filed against a Washington state man whom authorities allege fatally shot a bald eagle in the head on his rural property, authorities said. Benjamin G. Allen of Brush Prairie in Clark County, Washington, was charged Tuesday with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and unlawfully killing a migratory bird, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.

If convicted of the misdemeanor charges, Allen could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, the statement said. ABC News could not reach Allen for comment on Wednesday. It was unclear if Allen has hired an attorney. The 66-year-old Allen “is accused of shooting and killing the bird with a shotgun,” according to the statement. The incident occurred on Feb. 5, 2026, when a witness reported hearing a gunshot coming from Allen’s property, the statement said. “According to records in the case, special agents from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife were called to the property in Brush Prairie regarding a dead eagle with blood around its head,” according to the statement, which further said that agents interviewed Allen about the deceased eagle and “his actions that day.”

The statement did not disclose what Allen may have told the agents. “Allen kept chickens not far from where the dead eagle was discovered,” the statement noted, adding that an exam by a veterinarian concluded the eagle died from two shotgun pellets found in its brain. Allen has been summoned to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington, on Sept. 8. While bald eagles are the national symbol of the United States, they are no longer considered endangered. The birds, however, are still protected under the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibits individuals from killing them.

The charges against Allen come after a 42-year-old Texas man, Santos Guerrero, pleaded guilty in May to federal charges that he fatally shot a bald eagle on his property near Houston in 2024. Guerrero faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when sentenced, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. In another case in Washington state, 49-year-old Travis John Branson of Cusick was sentenced to nearly four years in prison and fined $777,250 after he pleaded guilty in 2024 to charges stemming from the killing of numerous eagles and hawks on Washington’s Flathead Indian Reservation, according to federal prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Branson admitted to a self-described “killing spree” of thousands of eagles and hawks between 2009 and 2021, butchering the birds and selling their parts, including eagle feathers, on the black market. Prosecutors said investigators traced the deaths of 118 eagles and 107 hawks directly to Branson.

Source: Washington man accused of shooting, killing bald eagle facing federal charges – ABC7 Chicago

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2

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Big Bear wildlife activists name eagle spotted with Shadow

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Bald eagle flying over mountain peaks at sunset

Wildlife activists on Thursday named the new eagle that has been spotted following Shadow through Big Bear’s treetops and skies. “Generally, Friends of Big Bear Valley does not give names to nest visitors unless they have been around long-term…until now,” the Friends of Big Bear Valley wrote in a Facebook post. FOBBV chose the name Kaydee after referring to the eagle as KD1 for the past week. Shadow’s new companion was spotted just days after his longtime mate, Jackie, died after nearly a month of health setbacks stemming from anemia and a mystery illness. Kaydee is a banded eaglet that hatched in the Prado Basin in Riverside County in 2021, according to field biologist Jenna Carpenter.

Her parents, named Ricky and Lucy, arrived in the Prado Basin 6 years ago and built a nest. KD hatched the second year, one of nine eagles who fledged here. She, like many eagles, is currently in Big Bear, which is normal behavior for young adults. “A lot of eagles just go to Big Bear to hang out for a while,” Carpenter said. “It’s not breeding season right now and so most of the eagles what they’re thinking about is being in good habitat with good food.” FOBBV said they aren’t sure if Kaydee is female but “are leaning towards” the eagle being female. Birdwatchers said Kaydee and Shadow have been flying around together for the past couple of days, flying to different trees and sometimes perching themselves on different branches for hours. 

Source: Big Bear wildlife activists name eagle spotted with Shadow – CBS Los Angeles

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16

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5 bald eagles mysteriously found dead in Michigan ‘not due to natural causes’

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head of bald eagle

Five bald eagles were found dead in Michigan in a two-week span — sparking concern as environmental officials ruled they did not die from natural causes. All of the federally protected birds were discovered in the same area of the Upper Peninsula’s Garden Peninsula between April 3 and April 17, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Officials later determined that the bald eagles “did not die from natural causes, predators, or vehicle collisions.”

Source: 5 bald eagles mysteriously found dead in Michigan ‘not due to natural causes’

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32

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5 birds still missing after break-in at Marysville falconry facility

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close up of a majestic great horned owl

A Yuba County falconry said someone broke into the facility and intentionally released nearly a dozen birds from their enclosures on Thursday night. Staff at West Coast Falconry say the incident happened overnight, when someone entered the property, cut off tracking gear attached to the birds and forced them out of their enclosures. The facility said 11 birds were released during the break-in. Most have since been recovered, but five remain missing: an African black eagle, a barn owl, a great horned owl, a peregrine falcon and a dark morph red-tailed hawk.

The African black eagle is described as a large black bird with an estimated six-foot wingspan and white markings on its back. Officials say the birds may resemble native species commonly seen in the area, but stress these animals were bred in captivity and are not capable of surviving on their own. West Coast Falconry said the birds are imprinted on people and may behave differently from wild birds. Authorities, including the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and federal wildlife officials, have been notified and are assisting in the response. Search efforts are ongoing.

Source: 5 birds still missing after break-in at Marysville falconry facility – CBS Sacramento

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Ephesians 5:1

Watch Pittsburgh’s bald eagle couple, eaglets online with nest cam

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close up photo of eyases falcons

Over Easter weekend, famous eagle couple Jackie and Shadow welcomed a pair of eaglets in front of the world, as the hatchlings were captured live on the nest cam in Big Bear Valley, about 11 miles from Los Angeles. Pittsburgh has its own eagle family that welcomed chicks recently, too. Here’s what to know about them, and where to spot the birds in person. Who are Pittsburgh’s bald eagle couple? Bald eagles Stella and Irvin reside in a nest at U.S. Steel Corporation’s Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, about 12 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The eagles welcomed three chicks that hatched within the last month.

Source: Watch Pittsburgh’s bald eagle couple, eaglets online with nest cam

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.
Romans 15:5

First Big Bear bald eaglet hatches as second egg sees a pip

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bald eagle perched on tree branch

Just days after the first pip of nesting season for Big Bear bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow, their first eaglet has hatched, and their second egg has a pip as Southern California fans of the duo anxiously await their newest family members. The eaglet hatched from its egg at around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Earlier in the day, they advised fans that a bird is not considered hatched until it is completely free from its eggshell. 

The newest Big Bear bald eaglet, fully hatched from its shell on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Friends of Big Bear Valley “The chick has popped its head out of the shell to say a happy hatch day to mom and dad!” a Facebook post said, noting that the second egg belonging to the couple also appeared to have a pip.  Video from after the first egg’s pipping on Friday allowed a chance to hear the small chirps from the newest eaglet. FOBBV members said it can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours for a chick to fully hatch after the initial pip. After that, the birds grow rather quickly, reaching three feet in just over two months.  A “pip” is the moment that the chick can break through the internal membrane, breach the eggshell and take its first breath of air, according to FOBBV.

Source: First Big Bear bald eaglet hatches as second egg sees a pip – CBS Los Angeles

Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow see first pip of 2026 hatching season

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bald eagle on tree

The nonprofit, which operates the widely viewed Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, said chirping sounds were heard from inside the egg beginning Thursday afternoon and continuing through the night, signaling the eaglet had broken through the internal membrane and taken its first breath of air. By Friday, observers identified what appeared to be a pip, indicating the hatching process is underway. “This indicates that the chick was able to break the internal membrane and took its first breath of air,” the organization shared in a social media update. “Today we spotted an apparent pip (breach in the eggshell) and hatching is in the works.” Wildlife experts note that once a pip appears, it can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours for the chick to fully emerge from the egg. Jackie and Shadow’s nesting season has drawn global attention through the live camera feed, with viewers closely following each stage from egg-laying to hatching and eventual fledging.

Source: Big Bear eagles Jackie and Shadow see first pip of 2026 hatching season

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4