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Officers from the NYPD Harbor Unit came to the aid of a wounded bald eagle discovered floating on ice in the Hudson River, as confirmed by authorities on Tuesday.
During their patrol at approximately 9:27 a.m., the officers noticed the distressed bird, which was audibly crying as it clung to a piece of ice adrift in the chilly waters.
They deftly navigated their boat through the icy obstacles, positioning themselves close enough to assist the stranded eagle.
Footage captured by body cameras, and later shared by the department, revealed the eagle perched at the ice’s edge as an officer used a long catch pole to safely retrieve it.
On February 17, 2026, NYPD Harbor Unit officers successfully rescued a bald eagle trapped on ice in the Hudson River. (X/@NYPDnews)
“It’s alright, bro. I think he’s fine,” one officer reassures.
“We got you. Get me a little closer,” another officer chimes in as he picks up the bird with what appears to be a yellow tarp.
The eagle is then taken aboard the police boat, wrapped in a blanket and transported to a pet carrier.
A bald eagle flies over the Mohawk River near Goat Island in Waterford, N.Y., on Dec. 22, 2025. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
“They acted quickly and brought the bird to safety,” the NYPD said on X.
An NYPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that the eagle was transported to a bird sanctuary for treatment of its injuries.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), bald eagles flock to New York during the winter months, with arrivals beginning in December and peak concentrations in January and February before most return to their nests by mid-March.
Two adult and one juvenile bald eagles perch in a tree as they look for fish in the Mohawk River in Cohoes, N.Y., on Jan. 5, 2026. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
In colder weather, the birds gather near open water, especially where ice has formed on surrounding waterways.
Popular winter viewing spots include the Hudson River, the Upper Delaware River watershed and parts of the St. Lawrence River, with additional growing activity around Onondaga Lake in recent years, according to the NYSDEC.
