Iowa Tribe Restores Health to Eagles

By Emily Wood, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The bald Eagle was once at risk for extinction. But the Iowa Tribe in Oklahoma has worked to save the eagles and restore their place in the wild.

It can take years to help an injured bird heal, but on Earth Day the tribe released one of those eagles to fly back to his family.

The eagles are permanent residents at the Bah Kho-Je xla chi Eagle Sanctuary. Some have lifelong injuries, and others have handicaps that prevent them from flying long distances. None of them could survive for long in the wild.

"The big one's lucky, cause it's lucky we found she had a broken collar bone," Aviary Manager Victor Roubidoux said.

The eagle is named Michigan because that's where he used to live. Other birds are named after the people who rescued them. Every eagle has his or her own personality, but caretaker Roubidoux says they all maintain a certain regal quality.

"Cause they have the most stern look in their eyes, but they walk lopsided, yeah, walk a little funny," Roubidoux said.

Eagles in the sanctuary can live 50 – 60 years, but the tribe's goal is to heal as many eagles as possible, that's why what you're about to see is so special.

One eagle doesn't have a name, because he's fully rehabilitated and about to fly back to his family. Eagles can easily relocate their mates and baby eaglets.

"He puts you places certain times for certain reasons," Travis Clinesmith said.

The Clinesmiths are the human family that found the once badly-injured bird.

"They walked up on an eagle hanging upside down in a tree," Travis Clinesmith said.

They brought him to Victor and waited for the day they could watch him fly away.

"I thought it was pretty cool, his wing was better," Clinesmith said. 

A release like that only happens about once a year, and for the Iowan tribes healing God's regal creature is a great honor.

"I asked him when he flies up to Wakonda to bless us all down here," Tribal Elder Connie Gosney said.

The Bah Kho-Je xla chi belief is that the eagle, flying so high, can take messages to God. But those who can't soar those heights anymore will still live regal lives in their own sanctuary.