It was wings, sirens and feathers in the air when two quick-thinking police officers in Croatia swooped to the rescue of a dazed eagle found staggering by the side of a busy road, reports Dubrovacki Vjesnik. 

At the tail end of March, officers from the Ploče Police Station sprang into action after receiving a tip-off that an injured bird of prey – later identified as a short-toed snake eagle – was spotted on the verge of the D-425 highway near Karamatići.

The dynamic duo, officer Anita Gnječ and officer Ante Štrbić, raced to the scene and found the disoriented raptor flapping helplessly near the tarmac – lucky not to have become roadkill.

With backup from the local fire brigade, the stunned eagle was scooped up and taken to the station, where it was handed over to bird expert Bariša Ilić from the Brkata Sjenica Ornithological Society.

Thankfully, the feathery patient hadn’t broken any bones, but vets say it was likely shaken up after a mid-air smash – possibly with a vehicle or roadside obstacle.

After some much-needed R&R and rehab, the bird made a full recovery and was released back into the wild this week, not far from where it was found.

The short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) is classed as a threatened species in Croatia, making this rescue all the more egg-ceptional.