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IDOT Workers Discover Injured Bald Eagle Along Roadway In Darien

(CBS) -- Not an ordinary Day at the office for a pair of I dot workers Who discovered a bald eagle on the roadside in southwest suburban Darien.

CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports the injured bird is recovering at a local wildlife preserve.

Dr. Jennifer Nevis, a veterinarian at Willowbrook Wildlife Refuge, says the eagle, believed to be about a five-year-old male, is bruised and battered but otherwise healthy

"The speculation is that it was rolled by a car, clipped by a car…other possibility something viral knocked them down," said Dr. Nevis.

IDOT workers Jose Carnalla and Chris Burgard spotted the bird on the Cass Avenue exit ramp off if I-55 this morning

"I believed it was tire debris or piece of dark plastic, but as I told my coworker here to take a good took look, he said it was actually a bird," Carnalla said.

Burgard said the bird look scared when they first approached.

"His wings didn't look right you could tell he was injured," Burgard said. "When I was 10 feet away he tried to fly but couldn't."

Burgard called animal control which transported the bald eagle to Willow Creek Wildlife where they say they have seen more eagles in recent years

"We are still excited when they come in," Nevis said. "We're always rooting for them,"

And the two IDOT workers, both military veterans, say it was an honor to come to the aid of this majestic bird and symbol of our nation.

"The kind of experience I don't think I'll ever have again," Burgard said. "It was awesome"

The bald eagle actually has a U.S. Fish and Wildlife tag. When the vet gets a chance to enter his personal code into the system, they'll know exactly where the Eagle came from.

Right now they're focused on nursing him back to health and releasing him.

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