520 eagle struck and killed by vehicle | Urban Wildlife

A bald eagle was found dead on the 520 bridge Tuesday morning, and King County Metro now says it was hit by a Metro bus.

“It was a bald eagle. It was a male, and he was an adult,” said Captain Bill Hebner with Washington State Fish and Wildlife.  The bird carcass was discovered near the Montlake overpass around 7:30 this morning.

Linda Thielke with King County Metro tells KOMO News the eagle actually flew into the windshield of one of their buses from the right side as that bus was going 50 miles per hour.

Thielke says the eagle hit so hard it actually broke the bus’s windshield.  She also says the driver of the bus was very shaken up.

Hebner said they were speculating the eagle was one of a pair nesting on the nearby Broadmoor Golf Course.

“He was often seen on the light pole of the bridge,” said Hebner. 

If this eagle is one of the nearby nesting pair the fledglings in the nest should be able to survive with just one parent.

“It’s that time of year when eagles become free and clear of mom and dad,” said Hebner.

Eagles do mate for life and wildlife officials are hopeful the remaining female eagle can find a new mate and will produce new offspring next year.

As for the dead eagle, its feathers will ultimately be donated to Native American tribes for religious and ceremonial purposes.

Hebner says he hopes this serves as a lesson for motorists.

“When you see wildlife along the side of the road it’s always a good idea to give them a break, slow down and expect the unexpected.”

Originally wildlife officials had speculated the eagle may have been feeding on road kill and been struck shortly afterwards.

“We’re guessing something attracted him down to the highway and he was accidentally struck by a vehicle,” said Hebner initially.

That something was likely road kill the eagle was trying to scavenge.  Hebner says if that was the case eagles do sometimes gorge themselves impacting their agility.

 “And they can’t get airborne as quickly,” said Hebner.

Even if an eagle in such a condition can get airborne it may have trouble navigating as deftly as usual.