Eagle Migration 011

Every fall, as northern areas begin to freeze, thousands of bald eagles migrate south from Canada and the Great Lakes states in search of open water.

Some eagles will travel as far south as the Gulf Coast.

A few are usually seen in the state of Missouri by mid-autumn, but most arrive in December.

In some cases, an eagle will return to the same location each winter.

Where waterfowl are abundant, eagles feed primarily on dead and injured waterfowl; whereas, at rivers and lakes, fish make up most of the eagles' diet.

A few bald eagles remain in Missouri to nest, but most begin moving back north again in late February.

Eagles are among the largest birds of prey in the world.  Their life expectancy in the wild is about 30 years, while some bald eagles have lived up to 50 years in captivity.

They fly 20 to 40 miles per hour in normal flight, but can reach speeds of more than 100 miles per hour while diving.

An eagle's vision is five to six times sharper than a human's.

When it was adopted as our national emblem in 1782, the bald eagle flourished in great numbers.

Nesting bald eagles used to be common in Missouri.

Since that time, the numbers of bald eagles have declined drastically.

Pesticides and habitat destruction nearly wiped-out the eagle population.

Bald eagles began making a comeback after DDT was banned in 1972 and a restoration program was begun.

During the 1980s, more than 70 young bald eagles were released from artificial nests in Missouri.

Because of this program, together with the eagle's natural tendency to return to its former nesting range, eagles once again are nesting in Missouri.

Eagle nests are found throughout the state, mostly in southeast and west-central Missouri. They are usually built in the tops of large sycamore trees.

-  Adapted from a video by the Missouri Department of Conservation.



In Clarksville, Missouri.

January 2015.

Photo courtesy of Jim Gilbert: