Lead poisoning cause of death for bald eagle in Glacier Park

A bald eagle found dead near Lower McDonald Creek in February was
determined to have been killed by lead poisoning, according to necropsy results.

Glacier National Park biologists sent the carcass to the National Wildlife Health Center
in Madison, Wis., for further evaluation after an initial assessment did not show
evidence of gunshot wounds or other signs of trauma.

The necropsy for this immature female bald eagle found it to be emaciated, with a
distended gallbladder filled with viscous, green bile, a typical sign of lead poisoning in birds.

While eagles are top avian predators, they also will scavenge. Eagles will feed on
dead rodents left in fields or pastures after being shot, and on gut piles left by
hunters in fall. If lead ammunition was used, small bullet fragments can still be
present in the remains. When an eagle feeds on enough of these carcasses or gut piles,
lead can accumulate in the bird's body.

https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/04/30/bald-eagle-found-dead-in-glacier-national-park/3631797002/