A bald eagle laying on its back, looking at a wildlife rehab workers who is holding its wing and feet
A worker at a wildlife rehab center works with a bald eagle that was found Jan. 12, 2026, on the ice at Croke Reservoir in Northglenn. The bird had been shot which required surgery to remove a ball bearing from its wing. Now Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking for the person responsible for shooting the eagle, which is a state and federal protected species. (Provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

First thing you should know, right after seeing that jarring photo, is that the eagle in question is expected to recover and fly again. 

Next thing you should know, if you’ve seen anyone wandering near eagle perches with a slingshot and steel ball bearings, you should call Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

An x-ray image of the wing of a large bird. A perfect circle is visible at a joint as are shadows of the bird's feathers. The circle is a ball bearing someone shot into the bird.
X-ray showing ball bearing lodged in the wing of bald eagle found on the ice at Croke Reservoir in Northglenn on Jan. 12. The projectile was surgically removed. (Provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

The injured bald eagle was found Jan. 12 on the shoreline of Croke Reservoir, by CPW officers, Northglenn park rangers and Northglenn Animal Control. A local wildlife rehabilitation center removed the ball bearing and is gently bringing the majestic creature back to normalcy. State wildlife spokesperson Kara van Hoose said Monday they believe the raptor will eventually be able to fly. 

A bald eagle laying on its back, which a baby blanket draped over its head and a heavy towel across its body. A worker's gloved hand holds its feet, which are yellow with large, black talons.
A worker at a wildlife rehab center works with the eagle after its surgery to remove a ball bearing from its wing. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials say they think the bird will be able to fly again. (Provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

In the meantime, CPW reminds Coloradans that injuring a bald eagle is illegal under both federal and state laws, the tips can be reported anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648 or game.thief@state.co.us. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tip line is 1-844-397-8477 or fws_tips@fws.gov. Federal law says the “taking” of a bald eagle, which can mean capture or shooting or injuring or any number of offenses, can result in “a fine of $100,000 ($200,000 for organizations), imprisonment for one year, or both, for a first offense.” 

Too early to tell about the eagle’s next flights, CPW said. “Eagles need to be mobile to live in the wild,” an agency spokesperson said.

Michael Booth is The Sun’s environment writer, and co-author of The Sun’s weekly climate and health newsletter The Temperature. He and John Ingold host the weekly SunUp podcast on The Temperature topics every Thursday. He is co-author...