01 February 2009

Bald eagles thriving in Minnesota


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now reporting that there are 872 bald eagle nests in the state - a 670 percent increase from the 113 recorded in 1973. The population increase has been so great that the eagle was removed from the endangered species list a couple years ago.

Bald eagles are a common sight around Leech Lake in Northern Minnesota, where I enjoy spending time in the summer; the birds patrol the shoreline looking for fish, and do so from a great altitude because of their remarkable eyes. Year-round residents report that if they drag a roadkill deer carcass out onto the ice in the winter, a half-dozen eagles will gather. Whether we like it or not, our national symbol is admittedly an opportunistic scavenger [aren't we all...]

(Photo credit unknown)

2 comments:

  1. lived up and down the east coast (jersey to atlanta) Have never seen a Bald Eagle in the wild however East of Cinci I see quite a few Hawks, Red Should Hawk I believe but I am not a bird expert so don't hold me to the exact species
    (could be a Red Tail Hawk also)

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  2. I almost hit a bald eagle once as it was eating carrion in the middle of the road. They definitely like the roadkill.

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