Julie

A landmark bird passes away!

Julie, our beautiful Golden Eagle passed away earlier this month.  Her true age was unknown, but she was received at the World Bird Sanctuary in 1977, which would put her age at over thirty-three years old.  Of particular significance is the fact that Julie was the World Bird Sanctuary's very first eagle.  Hers is a legacy that lives on in the form of the many eagle displays and eagle programs presented to thousands of people each year by the World Bird Sanctuary.

Julie was found in a field in Abilene, Texas, suffering from a gunshot wound.  We are not sure about the particulars of her rescue.  However, she ended up at the Albequerque Zoo, where it was determined that she was unreleasable due to wing damage sustained from the gunshot.  She was received at the World Bird Sanctuary in May of 1977.  Julie is a prime example of the difference a good rehab facility can make.  The fact that she has survived and produced offspring over the past thirty-plus years is due to the excellent care she received following her gunshot wound.  

In 1996, after several unsuccessful attempts to pair Julie with different males, she was placed in a breeding mew with Denali, a handsome male Golden Eagle.  Apparently she had finally found her perfect mate.  They have been a couple ever since.  Two of their three offspring were released into the wild.

Julie will be missed by all who knew and cared for her over the years.

Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary volunteer