Bald eagles take to Johnson County for winter vacation
Some people might be tired of the cold weather in eastern Iowa, but bald eagles from farther north are finding the chill an improvement.
According to a raptor rehabilitation expert, a wildlife management biologist and an Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesman, the number of bald eagles has increased significantly across the country over the past two or three decades.
According to Joe Wilkinson, spokesman for the Iowa DNR, Iowa would see as few as 300 bald eagles in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, the state sees thousands as they migrate south.
“We see a sharp increase in bald eagles as they migrate down from Canada or Wisconsin,” said Jodeane Cancilla, director of the MacBride Raptor Project at Lake MacBride State Park. “Winter in Iowa, whether people in Iowa believe it or not, is much warmer than up there.”
Cancilla has been rehabilitating raptors, including bald eagles, for 28 years. Over the years, she has learned a lot about the bird that is a national symbol. The thing they enjoy more than just about anything, she said, is open water. That makes Iowa City and Coralville prime real estate for eagle watchers.
“The pedestrian bridge over the Iowa River in Coralville, the Coralville Reservoir, the Burlington Street Dam are all places you can find bald eagles,” Wilkinson said. “They’re looking for open water and looking for dead fish. It’s an easy meal for them.”
According to Cancilla, bald eagles are scavengers. Therefore, a dead fish, or even the carcass of deer killed by a hunter, is perfect fare. With plenty of hunting ground, and plenty of open water, Johnson County attracts many bald eagles.
Tim Thompson, a wildlife management biologist for the Iowa DNR, is charged with counting bald eagles in the Iowa City area each winter. Though he only counts bald eagles in a certain area, usually along the Iowa River in Johnson County, his numbers give a glimpse into the overall population.
“I’ve counted around 200 to 300 eagles each of the past few years,” Thompson said. The numbers can vary drastically, though. His snapshots are counted over one day each winter. Drastic cold temperatures or a lot of snow can deter the birds, he said. This year, he spotted 37.
“A lot of the river was snow-covered, some may have gone farther south this season,” he said. “But as past numbers have indicated, more will be coming. We have much more bald eagles now than in the previous 15 or 20 years.”
Cancilla credits the U.S. no longer using the chemical DDT as an insect repellent as a major factor for the population increase since 1970.
For those wanting to catch a glimpse of the national bird in full flight, Wilkinson suggests any place in the area that has open water. A bald eagle watch event will take place at North Central Junior High on Feb. 7.
“There are a lot of people who love nothing more than to see a bald eagle fly above them,” Wilkinson said.
Cancilla had some advice for bird watchers, however.
“Don’t try to approach the eagle to get a great photo. They’ll fly away and use up reserves they have to keep warm,” Cancilla said. “Eagles need to stay warm in winter, too.”
Reach Zach Berg at 319-887-5412, zberg@press-citizen.com, or follow him on Twitter @ZacharyBerg.
If you go
WHAT: Bald Eagle Watch & Expo
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 7
WHERE: North Central Junior High School, 180 E. Forevergreen Road, North Liberty. The outdoor watch area will be at Tailwater West, just past the Devonian Fossil Gorge and below the dam at Coralville Lake. Spotting scopes will be provided at the outdoor viewing spot. Activities and demonstrations will take place at the school.
ADMISSION: Free.
LEARN MORE: www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/CoralvilleLake.aspx.