PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a $2,500 reward for information in either of two recent bald eagle shootings in the greater Portland area. The reward is for information leading to the arrest or a criminal conviction in either case, which are not thought to be related.
On April 5, 2021, an adult bald eagle was shot and killed at the Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon.
On April 28, 2021, an adult bald eagle was shot near West Linn, Oregon. The Portland Audubon is caring for the eagle.
“In addition to being our national symbol, bald eagles also are an important part of our ecosystem,” said Jim Ashburner, special agent in charge for the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “They are federally protected through the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Service continues to work with our partners at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and Oregon State Police to protect these magnificent birds and solve these crimes.”
Raptors are an important part of the ecosystem, ODFW district wildlife biologist Kurt Licence said.
“One of many benefits of raptors is that they can remove a tremendous number of pests like land damaging rodents and non-native birds,” Licence said. “Furthermore, they are also a great indicator of ecosystem health because they are at the top of the food chain. If apex predator populations are healthy, it means all the other organisms beneath them on the food chain (small mammals, plants, etc.) are healthy enough to support them.”
Violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, both federal wildlife statutes, carry maximum criminal penalties of up to $100,000 per person and up to one-year federal imprisonment.
Anyone with information about this case should call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (503) 682-6131, or Oregon State Police Tip Line at (800) 452-7888. Callers may remain anonymous.
