Fishing the open waters of Wisconsin’s great rivers. ©Bob Leggett.

Every year, bald eagles gather to winter near the open waters of Wisconsin’s great rivers. And in the communities along the Mississippi and Lower Wisconsin, people congregate, too, for some of the best eagle watching in the nation.

The national symbol of the United States since 1782, the bald eagle is an impressive bird, typically 31 to 37 inches in length, with a wingspan of more than 80 inches. Driven to near extinction due to DDT poisoning and illegal killing, bald eagles were placed on the Wisconsin Endangered Species List in 1972 and on the Federal Endangered Species List in 1973. By 1997, with the help of a 1972 ban on the use of DDT in the United States, the bald eagle population managed to rebound. The birds were taken off the state endangered species list in 1997 and off the federal list on June 28, 2007. Today, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service classifies the bald eagle as a “threatened species” in the lower 48 states. In Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lists the raptor as a “species of special concern.”

The recent cold temperatures of 2010 will help observers spot the majestic birds. Large portions of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers are frozen, concentrating the fishing eagles along the open-water sections, such as in still-flowing streams and below dams. An eagle will eat a wide variety of fish, but favorites are muskies, bullheads, northerns, and suckers. Live fish are captured with the bird’s strong, sharp talons; while dead ones may be scavenged along shorelines. Skilled hunters with keen eyesight, eagles will also take waterfowl, muskrats, and turtles. An eagle consumes and digests all of its prey; only the biggest bones will remain. Carrion, such as road-killed deer, may also be a part of their diets.

Bald eagle watching near Prairie du Chien. ©John T. Andrews.

In mid December, 49 eagles were spotted near the Prairie du Chien dam. On January 3, Ferry Bluff Eagle Council volunteers reported a count of 98 eagles. In total, Wisconsin has an estimated 1,145 territorial pairs, according to DNR biologists.
Upcoming festivals celebrating Wisconsin’s bald eagles include:

• Fri.-Sat., 1/15-16/10, Eagle Watching Days, Sauk City and Prairie du Sac (Wisconsin River)
• Sat.-Sun., 1/30-31/10, Bald Eagle Days, Cassville (Mississippi River)
• Sat., 2/27/10, Bald Eagle Appreciation Day, Prairie du Chien (Mississippi River)

The festivals feature many educational events, so be sure to take the whole family.

Eagles are sensitive to disturbance by humans, so remember to give them room to fish. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources maintains an Adopt-An-Eagle-Nest Program. Your donations to the program are used to protect nests and rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, or orphaned eagles.

For More Info:
Eagles and the Wisconsin All-Bird Conservation Plan
Download the Wisconsin Endangered and Threatened Species Laws & List
Eco-Ethical Issues While Traveling Through Nature
Finding Your True Place in Nature

Looking for other places to travel into nature? Check out these stories:
Scientist or Snowshoe-Maker: Be Whatever You Want at Beaver Creek Reserve
Cross-Country Ski by Candlelight
Canada’s Spirit Bears
Yahara River Watershed
Glamping with Frank Lloyd Wright: the Seth Peterson Cottage
Hemlock Draw, Baraboo Hills
Olbrich Gardens Thai Pavilion and Bolz Conservatory, Madison
Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison
Muir Woods, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Want to hear about NEW nature travel stories? The best way to make sure that you don’t miss an article is to “subscribe” to this column. To subscribe, click on the word “Subscribe” in blue ink next to my photo on the home page. When a new article is posted, you’ll receive a brief e-mail notification (that way, you won't have to remember to keep checking back for new stories). Your e-mail address will not be shared; and to further protect your privacy, no one else will know you’re a subscriber — not even me!