A Golden Eagle wheels low looking for an easy meal at a banding station - Photo by Mike Werner  

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HAWK CLIFF FOUNDATION

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Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Migration Timeframe:

Migration for Bald Eagles begins as early as late August. Numbers quickly increase during September, peaking by around mid-September. Numbers decrease through October and November, however, a few continue to migrate right through December. Note that not all migrate as some remain in Ontario, especially in areas like the Nanticoke plant on Lake Erie.  


Year

Peak Week

Avg

2002-2007 Sep 22-28 49

Year

Peak Week

Count

2008 Sep 29-Oct 05 67

 

Year

Earliest Obs

Count

Year

Latest Obs

Count

2002-2007 Sep 01 2007 6 2002-2007 Dec 01 7
2008 Aug 25 2 2008 Nov 22 5

 

Where to Watch:

The best views of Bald Eagles tend to be as they cruise low along the cliff edge. Experienced observers will also look for the occasional eagle using the same flight lines as the Turkey Vultures. Bald Eagles have a very distinctive head-on flight profile...flat from wingtip to wingtip. In 2006 we had a group of 8 Bald Eagles (a mix of adults and immatures) that were all kettling together.

 

High Counts:

There were no new records set for Bald Eagles for the 2008 season.


1-Year 

Count

1-Month

Count

2007

406

Sep 2007

243


1-Day

Count

1-Hour

Count

Sep 10 2006

62

Sep 22 2008

23

 

Yearly Totals:

The 2008 total count of Bald Eagles was pretty much average...falling between the 10-year and 5-year averages. (averages are based on 1998-2007 and 2003-2007 counts).


Year

Count

Year

Count

Year

Count

1995 66 2000 135 2005 352
1996 101 2001 97 2006 362
1997 58 2002 168 2007 406
1998 89 2003 125 2008 269
1999 114 2004 218 2009 N/A

10-Yr Avg

5-Yr Avg

207

293

 

Interesting Facts:

  • Bald Eagles don't attain their adult plumage (white head and tail and brown wings and body) until into their 5th year or later. Until that point they exhibit a wide variety of plumages that show mottled white and brown feathering

  • All Bald Eagles are thought to winter within the North American continent

  • This includes the Atlantic coastal area and Mississippi River. Several thousands winter along the Mississippi River from Minneapolis, Minnesota to south of St. Louis, Missouri

  • Fairly large numbers are also known to winter along the Ohio River and on larger lakes from Mississippi east to southern Georgia and especially Florida.  Some winter in Baja but these are probably not “eastern” birds

  • Males are smaller the females. Within regional populations, there is no overlap between sexes. Southern-latitude birds are typically smaller than northern-latitude birds, particularly those from Alaska

  • The only way for a scientist to tell for sure whether a bald eagle is male or female is to measure bill and talon lengths

  • Juveniles have longer tails and primary flight feathers

  • An eagle can live anywhere from 20-30 years in the wild and for up to 60 years in captivity

 

 

 


A wonderful adult Bald Eagle cruising along the cliff - Photo by Don Taylor

An immature Bald Eagle showing the highly variable plumage characteristic of younger birds - Photo by Shay Redmond

Click on chart image for enlarged version

Click on chart image for enlarged version 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Created: 2007-04-27   ©2007 Hawk Cliff Foundation  -  All rights reserved