Authorities: Bald eagles found dead may have been poisoned

Published: Updated:
Maryland Natural Resources Police

FEDERALSBURG, Md. (AP) – Authorities say 13 bald eagles found dead near a farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore may have been poisoned.

Maryland Natural Resources Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson says it is unlikely that the birds, which were discovered Saturday, were intentionally shot.

Bob Edgell discovered some of the birds on his Federalsburg farm and told WMDT-TV that their bodies were “flattened.”

Thomson says the birds may have eaten poisoned rodents or could have been killed by a chemical someone sprayed on a field. Edgell says he hasn’t laid any poison on his farm.

Thomson says bald eagles are no longer considered endangered in Maryland, but it is still illegal for people to kill them.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to a conviction in the case.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.