Bald eagle injured during tornado near Smithville Lake headed to wildlife rehab

A bald eagle injured during a tornado near Smithville Lake is headed to rehab.

Missouri Department of Conservation officials said Friday the eagle has a damaged wing and has been turned over to wildlife rehabilitation experts at Excelsior Springs.

Plans call for the eagle to be transported to the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center for rehabilitation.

Brian Bartlett, a conservation agent based in Clay County, said the EF2 tornado that passed through the Smithville Lake area Monday knocked down a bald eagle nest on private land.

No other adult eagles or eaglets were found near the nest site, Bartlett said.

The injured eagle suffered a badly fractured wing during the storm.

A passer-by found the eagle Thursday on the roadside near Route F and Southwest King Road.

The Smithville Lake area usually hosts three to four active eagle nests annually, Bartlett said. Eagles feed on fish and wildlife such as waterfowl.

Bald eagles are protected by federal and state wildlife codes.

This story was originally published March 10, 2017 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Bald eagle injured during tornado near Smithville Lake headed to wildlife rehab."