A Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was evaluated for a balance/equilibrium disorder aftersuffering trauma due to a hard landing during fi tness training. Magnetic resonance imaging andcomputed tomography demonstrated a chronic atlanto-occipital subluxation with craniodorsaldisplacement of the atlas (atlanto-occipital overlapping) causing dynamic brainstem and spinalcord compression and an old malunion fracture with fusion of C1 and C2. The bird was euthanizedbecause of clinical deterioration and poor prognosis.