All Bald Eagles Admitted in 2025 Tested Positive for Lead Poisoning

An eagle found just south of Maple City in Leelanau County was admitted to the Skegemog Raptor Center in Grand Traverse County in what has become an all-too-familiar case for the region's wildlife rehabilitators: the non-profit performed a medical exam on the eagle testing for lead poisoning on Wednesday, March 11. The center discovered a severe amount of lead in its blood, and the eagle has been undergoing treatment since then.

The case is not an outlier. A local raptor rehabilitator reported that 100 percent of bald eagles admitted in 2025 had detectable lead poisoning levels, a figure that aligns with what the Skegemog Raptor Center has been tracking since it began systematic testing. "So in 2022, we began testing every bald eagle that we admit, for rehabilitation for lead, and it's been pretty shocking. All of them have blood in their systems," said James Manley, the center's executive director.

Lead poisoning, often caused by scavenging fish and game carcasses, is one of the leading causes of death for bald eagles in the region. The mechanism is straightforward and brutal: lead core bullets fragment into microscopic pieces on impact, scattering through gut piles and unrecovered carcasses that eagles scavenge during and after hunting season. "Even a rice-sized piece of lead could kill an eagle," said Bryan Parkhurst, who runs the Holland-based nonprofit Falconshire Raptors and is often among the first to respond when an eagle goes down in West Michigan.

The neurological toll is swift. "A lot of times around the ground they're sick, they're scared, they're dehydrated, they are weak, but yet they're still an apex predator and the top of the predator world. So, they will fight," Parkhurst said. Poisoned eagles may show erratic head movements, poor balance, and difficulty focusing before eventually collapsing. Without intervention, the outcome is often fatal.

Parkhurst recalled a Thanksgiving rescue from Waukazoo Woods that illustrated how dangerous those encounters can be for rescuers and birds alike. A bald eagle was found on the ground during a snowstorm when Parkhurst approached. "When I walked up to it, it immediately stood up with a seven-foot wingspan, three and a half feet high, charging me," he said. Trent Dekker, raptor rescue coordinator at Falconshire Raptors, helped corral the bird into a garage. The eagle did not survive its injuries.

Falconshire's ambulance is a specialized mobile unit dedicated entirely to raptor rescue, equipped with oxygen, first aid supplies, and digital x-ray capabilities that allow the team to provide critical care on-site before transporting birds to rehabilitation centers. When an injured eagle is reported, Parkhurst says a two-person team responds quickly to secure the bird without causing further harm.

Both organizations are careful not to frame their message as anti-hunting. The Skegemog Raptor Center says it is not against hunting and fishing, but it is looking to educate the community on safer ways to hunt and fish in an effort to help prevent the losses. Manley's ask is direct: "Our message is simple, for both hunting and fishing, is to avoid the use of lead. Lead is a known toxin," he said. "It's safer for the environment, it's safer for the animals and at the end of the day, it's safer for humans to just avoid the use of lead."

Parkhurst described different alternatives, including copper bullets and tungsten shotgun shells, which are safe for wildlife. Those alternatives are already commercially available; adopting them, rescuers say, costs little compared to the toll on the birds.

For those who spot a distressed bald eagle in Michigan, Parkhurst recommends contacting trained professionals immediately. Falconshire Raptors can be reached at 616-566-8966, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources maintains a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators throughout the state. The Skegemog Raptor Center is always looking for volunteers and donations as well.