One Wing is soaring with Eagles again

It is a sad day at Bird TLC.

I went grocery shopping this morning and when I returned home there was a message from Barbara P., our Sunday lead volunteer. She said to please call her. Right behind her message was one from Dr. Scott, asking me to call him about One Wing’s death.

I tried to call Barbara, no answer, so Todd & I left for the clinic, hoping there had been some sort of misunderstanding. No such luck. The note from Barbara stated that the crew had found One Wing dead in his mew at 9:00am.

I was stunned, yes he was old, but he had been doing so well. Acting normal, eating, talking to everyone….. In fact, he had just chewed me out on Friday for some infraction when I walked through the mew yard.

I hate it when a bird dies and I don’t even see it coming. Especially when it is a bird that I’ve been keeping such a good eye on since Witch died.

A necropsy revealed a heart based tumor that had apparently ruptured. The pericardial sac was filled with blood, and the blood clot/tumor on the heart

were easily visible. The best that I can say is that it was a quick end. When the tumor ruptured, death would have been almost instantaneous.

We will all miss One Wing, but when I spoke with Dr. Scott, he said that he felt the bird had gone just the way he would have wanted to.

My condolences to all who had such a special relationship with this great bird. For my part, I remember being there when Dr. Scott amputated his wing so many years ago…….

Cindy Palmatier
Director of Avian Care
Bird Treatment & Learning Center
(907) 562-4813

Here's a link to "One Wing's Gift" by Dr. James Scott, DVM.

Here's a link to a story in the Anchorage Daily News, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, KTUU Channel 2,