Bald Eagle Watching on the Mississippi River

Winter Eagle Watches Along the Mississippi River
by Pat Middleton

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Contents:

The Comeback Bird--the American Bald Eagle along the Mississippi River

January-March Schedule of Eagle Watches

Bald Eagle Facts

Eagle and Tundra Swan Watches are Popular River Events

Throughout the month of January, many river towns promote organized eagle watches staffed with volunteer interpreters, spotting scopes, and educational displays. The first "EAGLE WATCH" along the Mississippi River was organized in Keokuk, Iowa, in1985. Similar events have become popular all along the river. When a pair of bald eagles nested along the river in Kentucky in 1986, they were the first nesting pair in over forty years!

Other organized "watches" during the year include the tundra swan watches in November. Harry Buck of Alma organized the first swan watch at Rieck's Park north of Alma, Wisconsin, after he heard a visitor videotaping 4,000 tundra swans saying that "all the noise was coming from these egrets." It reminds me of the time I was giving a talk on one of the cruise boats and a big eagle swooped right in to grab a fish out of the water beside the boat. "An osprey!" someone called out. Another visitor countered, "I don't know what it is, but I know damn well it's not an ostrich!"

Eagle facts:

The "bald" in the name Bald Eagle refers to its white head or "balde" head in Old English.

Male eagles in Tennessee weigh 6-9 pounds, females are 20-30% larger. In the north eagles are slightly larger. A female could weigh 16 pounds. Their diet is 80-90% fish with a few rabbits and ducks thrown in. Nests are about five feet wide; the young fledge at10-12 weeks. Sexually mature at 4-5 years. They mate for life, but will re-mate when one mate dies.

Links to more information on the American Bald Eagle!

Links to the Mississippi River Home Page

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Bald Eagle Watching Along the Mississippi River

Winter Eagle Watches Along the Mississippi River by Pat Middleton

Eagle and Tundra Swan Watches are Popular River Events

Eagle facts:

The "bald" in the name Bald Eagle refers to its white head or "balde" head in Old English.

Links to more information on the American Bald Eagle!

Winter Eagle Watches Along the Mississippi River
by Pat Middleton

Links to more information on the American Bald Eagle!