Eagles Among Us
Photography: Courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
These majestic winter wonders ride the winds of October, wending their way from the far north of Alaska and the Yukon to the milder winter climes of northern Utah. Hundreds of bald eagles remain here for the winter, scavenging on fish, waterfowl and domestic livestock. In early spring, they migrate northward once again to mate, nest and rear their young. Increasingly, bald eagles are choosing to nest in Utah as well.
Although the bald eagle’s position is secure as America’s living symbol of freedom, that wasn’t the case when the issue was settled by the founding fathers over 200 years ago. Ben Franklin objected to the birds, calling them “rapacious and ignoble scavengers.” He argued that the homely, hairless-headed turkey should be the nation’s symbol instead. History records that the bald eagle held sway in the nascent Congress, however, proving simply that looks are more important than diet.
Bald eagles had nearly disappeared from the United States by the mid-20th century. They were shot indiscriminately by ranchers who mistakenly believed they preyed upon new-born lambs and calves. In Alaska, the birds even carried a bounty.
DDT, the virulent pesticide introduced after World War II, almost wiped these magnificent birds out. Eagles and other raptors exposed to the deadly chemical, now banned, produced thin-shelled eggs which cracked and failed in the nest.
The birds reached an all-time low of only 417 nesting pairs in 1963, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) biologists feared they were lost. When Congress passed the landmark Endangered Species Act in 1973, bald eagles received the dubious distinction of being among the first species placed on the list.
“I consider the bald eagle to be a symbol of environmental awareness,” says Jody Miller, the FWS National Bald Eagle Recovery Coordinator. “The Endangered Species Act is one of the most unique and important pieces of legislation possibly in the world. For the American people to have created and backed such a law speaks highly of our values and for our concern for natural resources for future generations.”
Under strict federal and state protection, the bald eagle has staged a remarkable recovery in this country. Recent estimates put the number of breeding pairs in the United States at almost 10,000. Most breeding pairs are found in the northern, southeastern, and Pacific states.
In Utah, wintering populations have increased from fewer than 300 birds in the early 1970s to well over 1,000 in 2007. The state consistently ranks in the top 10 among the lower 48 for numbers of wintering bald eagles. Nesting pairs have increased from two to 11 — not bad for an arid state. Both figures exceed the recovery objectives for the species set by the FWS.
The phenomenal recovery of the bald eagle led to its removal from the Endangered Species List in July of 2007. Few species placed on the list have ever made it off. It’s a storybook ending to a potentially tragic story.
Bob Walters, Utah’s Watchable Wildlife program coordinator, has kept an eye on the state’s most visible nesting pair of bald eagles for over a decade. The adventurous pair set up housekeeping in 1996 on a tall, dead cottonwood tree just north of the Salt Lake International Airport, within 11 miles of the city center.
When a wind storm downed the tree in 2001, Walters enlisted the aid of Utah Department of Transportation personnel and replaced it with a towering man-made structure. “They’ve nested there for 12 years straight and have successfully reared 30 young,” says Walters. “That’s a remarkable figure for any raptor species, especially considering they’re so close to a lot of human activity.”
Solitary or in mated pairs during spring and summer, bald eagles become curiously gregarious during fall and winter. At the state-owned Farmington Bay Wildlife Management Area (near Salt Lake City on the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake), up to 400 eagles can be seen roosting in tall cottonwood trees from November through February.
Utah Bald Eagle Day, celebrated every February at several viewing sights throughout the state, offers people close-up views and the opportunity to learn more about these fascinating birds.
In the Park City area, the best places to see wintering bald eagles are along the Weber River above and below Rockport Reservoir, and on the middle fork of the Provo River below Jordanelle Reservoir.
In January and February, bald eagles often perch patiently on the ice at Rockport and Jordanelle. They wait for ice fisherman to depart, leaving behind fish entrails or lunch leftovers. They can also be seen along busy I-80 or U.S. 40, where they feed on road-killed deer and elk.
It’s not unusual to see bald eagles soaring over the Park City ski areas, stretching their wings and perhaps doing a little sightseeing of their own. Wonder what they think of all the bundled-up humans sliding down the mountain?
Steve Phillips retired as the media coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Based in Park City, he now stays busy as a writer, actor and hot-air balloon pilot/instructor.
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