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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... Chinese site uses Medford domain name for car scam ... Medford teen sentenced for assaulting baby ... Mercy Flights debuts new helicopter ... WILDLIFE Tests confirm lead poisoning killed eagle Bird was found near Ashland Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 12, 2015 at 3:37 PM Updated Feb 13, 2015 at 10:41 AM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 12, 2015 at 3:37 PM Updated Feb 13, 2015 at 10:41 AM » RELATED CONTENT • Sick bald eagle found near Ashland dies • Sick eagle found outside Ashland recovering at Wildlife Images... » Social News GRANTS PASS — A bald eagle that died just over a week after it was found grounded outside Ashland in December died from lead poisoning, Wildlife Images officials confirmed. Executive Director Dave Siddon said pathology tests performed in Madison, Wisc., confirmed the long-suspected diagnosis this week. The bird, named Kringle in honor of the holiday season, was also screened for avian flu and West Nile virus, illnesses that present similar symptoms. “You can’t treat for lead toxicity until you've positively diagnosed it. The treatment is very tough on the animal,” Siddon said. Ashland Water Treatment Plant supervisor Greg Hunter found Kringle Dec. 9 on the shore of Reeder Reservoir south of Ashland. The bird had his head down and would not fly, signs that can indicate lead poisoning. Wildlife Images workers took Kringle into their care, thinking at first his sluggishness and facial swelling could have been caused by the bird running into something during flight. "The first symptoms, we thought it was an impact of some sort," Siddon said. "That's the first thing that we were looking for." During his stay at Wildlife Images, Kringle received a slew of treatments, including anti-fungal medication, antibiotics and steroids. Because of the high risk and unconfirmed diagnosis, treatment for lead poisoning was not included. The bird's health came and went during his time at the facility, Siddon said, bouncing back and forth between improvement and decline over several days. Kringle died sometime before the morning of Dec. 18. The source of the lead poisoning is unknown. Steve Niemela, assistant district wildlife biologist for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the most likely source is lead ammunition fragments, which can be ingested by birds of prey scavenging on the discarded remains of hunted animals. Other less likely possibilities include waste from old mine shafts, older paint or lead sinkers, Niemala said. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 12, 2015 at 3:37 PM Updated Feb 13, 2015 at 10:41 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501