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Officers from the NYPD Harbor Unit successfully rescued a bald eagle in distress, discovered on an ice floe in the Hudson River on Tuesday, according to officials.
During a routine patrol around 9:27 a.m. local time, the officers noticed the eagle, which appeared injured, crying out as it precariously balanced on a drifting sheet of ice in the icy waters.
Demonstrating quick thinking, they carefully navigated their boat through the floating ice to reach the vulnerable bird.
Footage from the officers’ body cameras, shared by the department, captured the dramatic moment as the eagle perched at the ice’s edge and an officer skillfully used a long catch pole to bring the bird to safety.
The NYPD Harbor Unit’s intervention on February 17, 2026, ensured the rescue of the bald eagle trapped on ice in the Hudson River. (Source: X/@NYPDnews)
“It’s alright, bro. I think he’s fine,” one officer says.
“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.Â
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.