The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is searching for the person who shot and killed a nesting bald eagle near Garland last week — and it’s also monitoring the chick it left behind.
The female eagle was alive when she was found — near a nest with her mate and chick — but later died from her injuries. A state conservation officer performed a necropsy and determined the bird had been shot.
Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest, said Stacey Lewton, southeast district supervisor for the commission’s law enforcement division. To make an anonymous report, call 800-742-7627 or contact a conservation officer.
If found, the shooter will likely face federal and state charges for killing the protected bird, he said.
The commission has also enlisted the help of the Raptor Conservation Alliance to watch the nest, and the male eagle’s care of the chick.