Injured Great Blue Heron rescued from tree in Oakbrook Terrace euthanized

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — An injured Great Blue Heron that was rescued from a tree in Oakbrook Terrace on Tuesday evening has died.

According to the bird conservation organization Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM), the Great Blue Heron was found tangled in the branches of a tree near a hotel in Oakbrook Terrace by a visiting contractor from Virginia.

The contractor sought help from the local fire department, who called monitors from the organization for help.

Officials from the organization said the bird had been hanging in the branches at the top of a more than 30-foot tree since Monday.

Crews were unable to use ropes to loosen the branches, and the tree could not be climbed, so fire crews used a ladder truck to bring the heron down to safety.

CBCM officials said the bird was exhausted and injured after dangling from the tree for hours and was later taken to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center for care.

In an update on Saturday morning , CBCM officials said the bird had sustained permanent injuries during the incident that could not be repaired.

Officials said the heron had no hope for recovery and was humanely euthanized.

“In our rescue work, we know everything we recover does not survive but the fact that so many people cared about saving this bird and not leaving it to suffer meant that its life mattered. We applaud the people who gave their time and effort to the rescue,” a spokesperson for the organization said in a Facebook post.

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