Liberty was brought to the audubon two decades ago after the board of directors realized there were a lot of sick and injured birds that needed homes, public engagement specialist Jeff Tome said.

“We didn’t have the enclosure yet then, but we had it built completely by volunteers,” Tome said. “We then found Liberty in Washington state. She had a wing injury where it was infected and eating away at her wing muscles. So she can fly, but very weakly and not enough to be able to catch food on her own in the wild. Here, we feed her mainly fish, chipmunks and squirrels and she eats about a pound of food a day.”

Additionally, Tome said once the eagle was given her new home at the audubon, a naming contest was held.

“Just the fact that we were able to get her, and the community support since then, has been astounding,” Tome said. “Even today, when people hear I’m from the audubon, the first question I get is, ‘Oh, how’s Liberty doing?’ or, ‘Do you guys still have that eagle?’ She is just adored by so many, including on her website and Facebook page.”

Pictured in 2017 is Liberty, the Audubon Community Nature Center’s resident bald eagle. Liberty has now been with the local audubon for 20 years. P-J file photos

Liberty also allows the Audubon Community Nature Center to teach the community about eagles and other birds of prey and how they can be injured or get sick in the wild.

“A lot of the time they can get sick from lead poisoning, from lead in bullets left in deer carcasses,” Tome said. “It only takes lead the size of a grain of rice to kill an eagle. … Liberty is what we call an animal ambassador, and she lets us teach people about things like that.”

Tome said the audubon is currently worried about Avian Influenza, and the organization is doing everything it can to keep that away from Liberty and the other birds.

“Avian Flu affects birds of prey,” Tome said. “Wild eagles have already died from it. We have protocols that we have been following to limit the attractiveness of our habitats to wild birds, since it spreads mainly through bird droppings. We have stopped feeding the birds close to their habitats, and we have a footpath where we require people to either wash or take off their shoes. We’re doing everything we can to keep our birds healthy, but we are worried about caged-in animals being more susceptible.”

The audubon is having a celebration for Liberty on June 4 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. At the celebration, there will be a memory wall of Liberty and her stories over the years, along with many volunteers who have helped to take care of her. Kids will have the option to build an eagles nest, which Tome said can be huge. The Tamarack Wildlife Center will also be there, another organization that takes in injured birds.

Refreshments will be offered, along with the chance for a meet-and-greet of some of Liberty’s new friends who will be coming to the audubon with the building of a new habitat for them.

The Pamela A. Westrom Wildlife Habitat will house three new birds of prey, including an American Kestrel and an anticipated Red Tail Hawk.

“Everything is up in the air for the birds at the moment,” Tome said. “We’re getting closer but we’re waiting on permits. Everything is heavily regulated — you have to prove you have the experience and the habitats to be able to take care of these birds. We have the American Kestrel but it is not out for programs yet, as it is still being trained. We anticipate the Red Tail Hawk coming in the next month. We finished building the habitat itself last year.”

To register to attend Liberty’s 20th anniversary celebration, visit auduboncnc.org/