A bald eagle that was treated for severe injuries including signs of electrocution was released back into the wild Friday after six months of rehabilitation in Monterey County.

The adult eagle was found with a broken shoulder on Dec. 21 in a backyard on the southeast side of Salinas.

It was taken to the Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center run by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County.

The rescue team weighed the raptor daily and gave him fluids and medication as he healed in an ICU cage, the SPCA said in a press release.

A SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center volunteer holds a rescued bald eagle in Salinas on Dec. 21, 2026. The eagle had been recovering from serious injuries including a broken coracoid, a bone that connects a bird’s shoulder to its keel to enable flight, and possible electrocution. (SPCA Monterey County Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center via Bay City News)

The team also guided the bald eagle in periodical physical therapy to regain his strength and precision, it said.

“Today, we released him back into the wild,” the SPCA said. “After a brief pause, he caught the wind and soared out over the hills, circling above the landscape before continuing on his journey.”

A UC Berkeley student from San Francisco, Kelcie is passionate about public-service journalism, politics, and local government. She enjoys tackling complex topics and making them accessible to readers.