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NYPD Harbor Unit Officers Rescue Injured Bald Eagle from Icy Hudson River
NEW YORK – A routine training exercise on the Hudson River took an unexpected turn for the NYPD’s Harbor Unit last Tuesday, culminating in the dramatic rescue of an injured bald eagle.
Officer Michael Russo, a 16-year veteran of the unit, was surveying ice formations when he spotted something out of the ordinary. “Last week, when it was cold, a lot of stuff was getting stuck in the ice, whether it was a float, a buoy, but it looked different,” Russo recounted to reporters on Wednesday.
“I could see this white head from a distance. So I said, let’s get a little closer.
I said, it looks like an eagle. And turns out it was an American bald eagle.”
While the Harbor Unit is accustomed to rescuing distressed boaters, sick cruise ship passengers, and even animals like dogs, a bald eagle presented a unique challenge. The majestic bird was found screeching, wet, and bloody, and notably, it did not attempt to flee as the patrol boat approached.
Officers consulted with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for guidance on how to safely retrieve the injured raptor. Once given the green light, they meticulously planned their approach.
“As we got closer, we put a plan together,” Russo explained. “We used a catch noose to kind of subdue its wings from flapping and its claws.”
Sgt. Michael Amello then carefully placed a cloth over the eagle’s head to keep it calm before gently bringing it aboard the vessel.
“Once we did that, it really didn’t give us a hard time,” Russo observed. “I think it kind of knew that we were trying to help it.”
The officers admitted that handling a bald eagle was certainly not part of their standard training. “They don’t really train you for, you know, handling a bald eagle, but we made it work,” Amello told reporters, acknowledging the impressive and somewhat intimidating nature of the bird’s talons.
Det. Nicholas Martin of the Harbor Unit shared in the awe, stating, “It’s an impressive creature.
Even in its state, we were kind of taken back by how big it is and just the way it is, and the beauty of it. It was impressive, to say the least.”
The eagle was kept on board until officers could rendezvous with DEC personnel. It was subsequently transported to The Raptor Trust, a wild bird rehabilitation center in Millington, New Jersey. While initially reported to be in stable condition, The Raptor Trust later released a statement confirming the bird is “currently in very serious condition.”
“We are doing our best to keep the bird stable, and should it improve, we will do further diagnostics, x-rays and blood work to help determine a course of action going forward,” the center stated. The community now awaits updates on the recovery of this iconic symbol of the nation.