Two baby bald eagles are being rehabilitated by the city of Auburn after they were blown from their nest in a storm.

Two baby bald eagles, known as Eaglets, are recovering in Auburn after being blown away from their nest on the shore.

At just two months old, the eagle lost its nest, was separated from its parents, and was seriously injured.

“These chicks had broken bones and were in pretty bad shape. They were then brought to our facility almost the next day for more extensive care and treatment,” said Stephanie Kadletz, assistant director of rehabilitation at Auburn University’s Raptor Center.

The Eagle’s Nest in Gulf State Park has been a favorite with locals for years. After a severe storm on March 15, park staff noticed the nest had been blown away. They contacted Orange Beach Wildlife Center, a city-run animal rehabilitation facility.

State park staff and wildlife center officials scoured the park until they found the eagle. They were triaged at a wildlife center before being transported to the Raptor Center, a medical center for injured birds of prey. It is also the educational center for the school’s School of Veterinary Medicine and home to War Eagle VII (also known as Nova) and War Eagle VIII (also known as Aurea).

The eagle has no name, at least not an official name. The Bird of Prey Center does not release the names of the birds that come in for treatment or rehabilitation. The birds are identified as 2026-067 and 2026-068.

They arrived at the center on March 17th. Eaglet 067 suffered a fractured humerus and required surgery. Eaglet 068 suffered a fractured ulna and radius in its wing, a fishing hook stuck in its leg, and required surgery. Veterinarians repaired the wing and treated 068’s pierced foot.

For now, the eagles are recovering at the raptor center, receiving medicine, food and physical therapy.

Once ready, the eagles are moved to an aviary and placed under the wing (pun intended) of another bald eagle that lives at a raptor center called Denali.

The raptor center hopes Denali will help teach them how to fly and gain enough muscle to release them back into the wild. Eagles did not learn to fly until they were blown away from their nests.

“She will be their foster parent, but she will also be a role model for the young birds and teach them about eagle behavior,” Kadletz said.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that either eagle will be released back into the wild. Kadretz said Denali came to the raptor center injured but was unable to be released.

However, if released, the eagles will be placed near where the original nest was, depending on whether the parents rebuild the nest.

To maintain bird populations, it’s important to release as many birds back into the wild as possible, Kadletz said.

“These are individual birds, but individuals create populations,” she says. “If we can protect all the individuals and put as many individuals back into the environment as possible, that will only help the population of the species.”

Rehabilitating wild animals also helps scientists understand what threats exist in the wild, which is especially important when dealing with endangered species, Kadletz said. Veterinarians can communicate their findings to state authorities and take action.

Although bald eagles are no longer considered an endangered species, they were at one time threatened with extinction and were almost absent from Alabama. In 1985, state officials began releasing young bald eagles into the wild. The first successful bald eagle nest was discovered in 1991.

State officials estimate there are between 100 and 150 bald eagles in Alabama.

If you come across an injured wild animal, it’s important to call a wildlife rehabilitation center or the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Kadletz said. There are several wildlife rehabilitation centers in the state, including the Mobile Environmental Center, the Alabama Wildlife Center in Pelham, and the Orange Beach Wildlife Center.