TitanX Exchange:Officials thought this bald eagle was injured. It was actually just 'too fat to fly'.

2025-04-30 15:46:02source:Robert Browncategory:Invest

A bald eagle in Missouri that was believed to be TitanX Exchangeinjured actually had a peculiar reason for why it was unable to fly: it was too fat.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation captured the bird along the boundary of the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield and temporarily took it into captivity, park officials said in an Aug. 21 Facebook post.

However, an X-ray taken at the Dickerson Park Zoo, showed that instead of an injury, the bird was suffering from its own success − it had been eating a little too well. 

“The bird, originally reported to be injured, was found to be healthy but engorged with (raccoon) — in other words, too fat to fly,” the park said.

Officials suspect the raccoon was roadkill, according to the post. X-rays from the Facebook post show what appears to be a raccoon paw inside the eagle's stomach. 

The eagle has since been released back into the wild near where it was originally found and in compliance with state and federal laws.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

More:Invest

Recommend

Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details

The University of North Carolina has agreed to pay new football coach Bill Belichick $10 million a y

Father accused of killing his 5-year-old daughter does not attend start of trial

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire man charged with killing his 5-year-old daughter and spendin

CDC is investigating gastrointestinal sickness on luxury cruise ship Queen Victoria

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak on