Bald eagle shot near Northglenn, Colorado wildlife officers search for culprit

Lauren Penington, The Denver Post on Jan 27, 2026

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DENVER — Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are searching for the person who shot a bald eagle near Northglenn two weeks ago, violating federal law.

Wildlife officers discovered the injured eagle on Jan. 12 at Croke Reservoir, near West 104th Avenue and Huron Street, according to a news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. X-rays revealed the eagle had been shot in the wing with a metal ball bearing, wildlife officials said in the release.

The person who shot the bald eagle, when caught, will face a $100,000 fine, a year in prison or both under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

“Penalties increase substantially for additional offenses, and a second violation of this Act is a felony,” federal officials stated on a webpage dedicated to the law.

The injured bald eagle underwent surgery to remove the metal projectile and, as of Monday, was recovering at a rehabilitation facility, according to Colorado wildlife officials.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648 or game.thief@state.co.us, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 1-844-397-8477 or fws_tips@fws.gov.

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