Wedge-tailed Eagle
REGGIE
bio
Reggie was just a fledgling when he was hit by a car in late October 2023. This occurred in his parents breeding territory, near Murrumbateman in southern NSW. Young Wedge-tailed eagles usually stay within their parents' territories until the first few months of the following year, when they 'disperse' and go off on their own.
He was found by the side of the road by some kind locals, who contacted Diane from Wildcare, a local licensed raptor rehabilitator. Under instruction, they carefully picked up the injured fledgling, placed him in a hessian bag in the back of their horse float, and drove him home. By the time they arrive home, Reggie had eaten his way out of the bag!
Diane collected him from his rescuers and brought him directly to Dr Charlie at the Southern Highlands Veterinary Centre. Reggie had a nasty infected wound to his right foot. Bloods tests and xrays were performed in preparation for surgery, and Reggie was discharged back to Diane for his inital post-operative care and medication. Once recovered, he was transferred to Peg from Wildlife Rescue South Coast, another licenced raptor rehabilitator, to complete his rehabilitation.
In February 2024, Reggie was fit enough for release and was showing signs of wanting to disperse. He returned to Dr Charlie for a final health check and had a tracker mounted to his tail so we could monitor his progress. He was released back to his parents' territory on 22nd February 2024.
REGGIE
Reggie stayed within his parents' territory for a week after release, then he undertook a mammoth dispersal flight in a north-west direction, heading straight for Channel Country in south-west Queensland. He appears to have been very sure of his destination, as he flew over 1000km over two weeks! From the satellite map, it may appear that there is very little to attract him here, but towards the end of northern Australia's wet season, this normally desert region completely transforms into a wildlife haven.
Dispersal in young eagles is not well understood, but we certainly hope that Reggie can help us understand this incredible behaviour. How did he know to head to this area? He's certainly come a long way from a scared young fledgling to an independent sub adult!
journey
ARCC Inc’s satellite tracking projects aim to monitor birds of prey after release from rehabilitation, to collect data on post-rehabilitation dispersal, behaviour and survival, which can then feedback to and inform rehabilitation processes and protocols. The rehabilitation story does not end at release – we need to know if our rehabilitation techniques ensure these birds not only survive, but thrive.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Australian Raptor Care and Conservation Inc acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. We recognise and appreciate the traditional significance and cultural roles birds of prey play in the lives of our First Nations people.