Symbol of Freedom redeemed: Bald eagle shot in the face gets new, prosthetic beak As above.

It has been a human-labor intensive maintenance to keep this symbol of freedom alive, let alone healthy. This prosthetic was not created for aesthetics, for vanity/good looks, but for functionality. What the story doesn't mention, but I will, is that though healthy, it is because caretakers are cleaning the bird (without it's upper bill, it cannot preen it's feathers), giving it water with a needle-less syringe (it cannot drink without it's missing parts) and have to hand-feed it small bits and pieces (the bald eagle cannot tear food into manageable pieces, nor can it pick up food).