Rescued Bald Eagle Honored With Dakota Name

A young bald eagle who was rescued in Iowa blossoming in her new home at the Minnesota Zoo – and now she has a name to match her story.

As part of its partnership with the Zoo, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Youth Leadership Council chose the eagle’s new name: Waḣca. It means ‘flower’ in the Dakota language. Thank you to the young people for honoring her with a meaningful and beautiful name.

To learn more about the significance of eagles to Native Americans, please watch this video produced by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. In the video, Michael Kurtz, Cultural Interpreter and Naturalist for the tribe’s cultural center Hoċokata Ṫi, shares the cultural meaning of Waŋbdí, the eagle.

Waḣca is about 1 year old and was rescued in August 2024 on the shore of the Wapsipinicon River near Donahue, Iowa. Hog Capitol Wildlife Rescue & Rehab, a nonprofit organization located in northwestern Illinois, responded to a call about an eagle who couldn’t fly.

X-rays revealed Waḣca had a broken wing and that a callus was already forming at the break site. Unfortunately, the wing could not be healed fully, and it limited her ability to fly. Therefore, she could not be released into the wild. Rescuers provided her with expert care until she moved to her forever home here in Minnesota in May 2025.

As an immature eagle, Waḣca doesn’t yet have her “bald” head. As a 1-year-old, she has blotchy white patches on her brown feathers and a half-black beak. At 5 years old, she should have an all-white head and a yellow beak. Currently she weighs 9 - 10 pounds and has a wingspan of around 6.5 feet. On average, female bald eagles are a third bigger than males.

As part of its partnership with the Zoo, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Youth Leadership Council chose the eagle’s new name: Waḣca. It means ‘flower’ in the Dakota language. Hear the pronunciation here.

Due to her injury, you may see Waḣca sitting on lower branches than a wild eagle would as it is difficult for her to get up and down from higher perches without a fully functioning wing.

Please help us welcome Waḣca to the Minnesota Trail and thank our partners at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

Copyright 2025, Minnesota Zoo | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy