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Bionic beak brings new hope for Beauty the bald eagle

By Claire Bates
Updated: 07:56 EST, 6 June 2008

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Beauty the bald eagle has been given a second chance at life after she had an artificial beak attached to help her eat and preen her feathers.

The bird of prey was found emaciated and close to death in Alaska after a poacher shot off her upper beak three years ago. Her tongue and sinuses were exposed and she couldn't clutch or tear off food.

Biologist Jane Fink Cantwell rescued Beauty the eagle three years ago

She was rescued by Jane Fink Cantwell from the Birds of Prey NorthWest in Idaho. The eight-year-old bird was fed strips of salmon by handlers every day because she was unable to consume solid food.

"She could not survive in the wild without human intervention," Ms Cantwell said.

Beauty before her new beak was added

"For Beauty it was like using only one chopstick to eat. It can't be done. She had trouble drinking and couldn't preen her feathers. That was about to change."

Ms Cantwell refused to accept expert opinion that Beauty was beyond help in 2006 and called on mechanical engineers, veterinarians, biologists and dentists to find a solution.

Mechanical engineer Nate Calvin and founder of the Kinetic Engineering Group pledged to help create a prosthetic for Beauty.

They designed and built a temporary beak out of nylon composite. This was glued on to a titanium baseplate, which was attached to the stump of Beauty's upper beak.

A more permanent titanium beak will be attached later this year.

A successful attachment of a prosthetic beak is rare but not unprecedented, said Dr Julia Ponder, executive director of The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota.