by DJ Featherton
Even as a kid I loved seeing birds of prey. I gave reports in grade school and could identify most raptors in the Midwest area where we lived. The ultimate prize, however, was the American Bald Eagle that was never to be seen. In fact, pesticides, poisons, DDT, and rampant hunting brought these magnificent birds to near extinction. Although their natural territory covers every state except Hawaii, in 1963 there were a mere 417 male/female breeding pairs in the entire United States. Today, there are over 10,000 nesting pairs, with an uncertain number in Alaska.
This unmistakable bird is clearly king of the roost and always a surprising delight to see. Scanning the trees and sky for hawks, ospreys, herons or even vultures is fun, but when Mr. Bald Eagle shows up, every other large predator is simply upstaged. Females are nearly 25 percent larger than males and can stand at 43 inches with up to 8 feet of wingspan. Immatures are all brown and don’t develop their notorious white head and tail feathers until sexual maturity at 4 – 5 years. ‘til then, some mistake them for the Golden Eagle. No matter the maturity, these great birds are in a class of their own.
My college town was in Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. This area was made for Bald Eagles with plenty of water habitat and beautiful bluffs that lined the river. Still, no eagles to be found at that time. Fortunately, I developed a friendship with a leading birder in the area. He said, “Yes, there are Bald Eagles out there, but you have to know where, and what to look for.” Nothing in the summer, but in the winter, if you looked, you may see a few on the ice around a patch of open water on the river. Also, scanning the trees near open water would produce two white dots that would be the unmistakable head and tail of the great bird. Time passed, more eagles were showing up, and I was becoming a real pro at finding and watching Bald Eagles.
Irony being, Wabasha, Minnesota, is a true Mississippi River town just up the river from my university and today is the home of the National Eagle Center! This is an excellent facility where people can experience eagles up close. They offer open air presentations, several floors of interactive exhibits, and guided field trips to area hot spots to see both Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles in the wild. This wonderful area is a natural flyway for millions of unbelievable migratory birds, and a treasure for we birders. I used to be ecstatic to spot a single Bald Eagle perched atop a muskrat house. Now, that area is the home of the National Eagle Center.
Today we live in the St. John’s county, Florida. Florida alone has nearly 1200 active Bald Eagle nests with about 40 just in my county. There are lots of nests nearby, and we have eagles in the trees all around us. We see eagles chasing after ospreys that have a fish quite often, and that’s a spectacle! My wife and I remain major fans of the Bald Eagle and are thrilled each time we see them.
These great birds were saved by state statutes and Congressional federal law in 1940. The government declared them endangered in 1978 which gave them the protection they needed. The Bald Eagle numbers have now surpassed expectations to the point that they have been taken off the endangered list though still protected by law. Today, this birder is pleased to proclaim, the Bald Eagle, our national bird and symbol, is back!
