Bald eagle found dead after neighbor reports gunshot, Missouri officials say

A bald eagle was found dead in Missouri, officials said. Now, the state’s Department of Conservation is searching for its killer.

The bald eagle had a gunshot wound from a rifle when it was discovered south of Salem, Mo., on Jan. 18, officials said.

Missouri Department of Conservation officials said there is a reward for the person who provides information that leads to an arrest, according to a Facebook post from the department.

Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is a federal offense to shoot a bald eagle, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

Violators face up to a $100,000 fine and one year in prison, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services said.

Bald eagles were on the endangered species list for 29 years. U.S. Fish and Wildlife services removed them from the list in 2007 after conservation efforts, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.