The Bald Eagle in Oklahoma
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Wildlife Diversity Program
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
1801 N. Lincoln
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405)521-4616
Introduction
The
Eagle's Decline
Wintering
Eagles in Oklahoma
Where
you can view bald eagles
Nesting
Eagles
Bald
and Golden Eagles in Flight
Bald
Eagle Facts
The
Future
What
You Should Know
Golden
Eagles
Introduction
Oklahoma is an important wintering area for bald eagles, consistently
ranking among the top 10 states for numbers of birds. Each winter
thousands of eagles migrate south from their nesting range and take up
residence wherever they encounter open water and plentiful food. Because
of an abundance of lakes and rivers and milder winter temperatures,
Oklahoma is especially attractive to these magnificent birds. During
severe winters in the north, 800 to 1,500 eagles may gather here.
The Eagle's Decline
In 1782, the year it was formally adopted as our national emblem, the
bald eagle population was flourishing, possibly with as many as 20,000
nesting pairs in what is now the United States.
In the more than 200 years since the bald eagle became our living
symbol of strength and freedom, its numbers have declined alarmingly.
Settlement of our nation led to human encroachment and habitat
destruction, killing of birds for trophies and open persecution because
of people's prejudices toward predators. By the late 1800s, the bald
eagle's range had shrunk until it was generally restricted to its
current breeding range in Alaska, Canada, the Great Lakes states,
Florida and the Pacific Northwest. Today, only about 2,400 nesting pairs
live in the lower 48 states. In addition, the widespread use of DDT,
which was banned by 1972, resulted in thin-shelled eggs that seldom
hatched, further reducing eagle populations.
The bald eagle was first listed as an endangered species in 1967. In
1978 it was declared an endangered species in 43 states, including
Oklahoma. Since that time, it has been listed as threatened in
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Washington and Oregon. It is not listed
in Alaska, where approximately 30,000 birds still breed.
Wintering Eagles in Oklahoma
 The
bald eagle is a migratory species. Those birds that nest in the Great
Lakes states and adjacent areas in Canada fly south to find food for the
winter, and many find their way to Oklahoma. Eagles begin arriving here
in late November and December. Their numbers peak in January and
February, and most birds have left for their northern breeding grounds
by the end of March.
In contrast to their territorial behavior during the breeding season,
bald eagles become quite sociable in winter. They roost communally at
night in trees near a reliable food source, with the same trees
traditionally used each year. Up to 200 birds have been known to use a
single night roost in Oklahoma. Wintering birds often use different
sites for feeding and nighttime roosts. A bird occasionally may travel
up to 50 miles one way between its feeding area and its night roost, but
most feeding areas are located near the roost. Bald eagles tend to feed
early in the morning and may not feed every day. They usually detect
prey while soaring or from a high perch.
Years ago, many of the bald eagles that wintered in Oklahoma lived on
the prairies and fed on carrion found there, particularly buffalo. As
the state was settled and land use changed, buffalo disappeared from the
prairies and wintering bald eagles no longer congregated here in such
large numbers. However, with the construction of numerous reservoirs
during the second half of this century, the amount of habitat suitable
for the birds increased dramatically. Major reservoirs provide areas of
flooded timber that make ideal eagle perches. Open water for fishing
usually can be found below a dam even when other areas freeze.
Where you can view bald eagles: All of
Oklahoma's major rivers and reservoirs support wintering eagles. They
tend to concentrate below reservoir dams, especially where fish that
have passed through hydropower turbines are injured or dying. The
following areas have good spots for viewing eagles in the winter, and
all have public-accesible lands. Check with local officials at these
sites to be sure what areas are open to the public.
- Lake Eufaula
- Fort Gibson Reservoir
- Grand Lake (Twin Bridges State Park)
- Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge
- Kaw Lake
- Robert S. Kerr Lake (Sequoyah NWR)
- Keystone Lake
- Wister Lake
- Arcadia Lake
- Lake Altus (Quartz Mountain State Park)
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Each winter the Nongame Wildlife Program coordinates tours to view bald
eagles at these and other lakes. To learn more about these tours and
Oklahoma's wintering eagles, ask for the Winter Bald Eagle Viewing
Guide, available beginning each December, from the Nongame Program.
Nesting Eagles
Bald eagles have two subspecies-the northern race and the smaller
southern race. Historically, eagles nesting in Oklahoma were probably
the southern subspecies. During the last century, numbers of nesting
eagles have decreased in our state coinciding with a general decline in
eagles nationwide. However, since 1975, bald eagles have made a number
of nesting attempts in Oklahoma. Between 1976 and 1992, bald eagles made
25 known nesting attempts here, but only seven were successful,
producing 13 young. Researchers hope to discover why these birds are not
more successful at raising their young.
The Nongame Wildlife Program assisted in the release of nearly 100
southem bald eagles in eastern Oklahoma between 1985 and 1990, with a
record mass release of 61 birds in 1990. Nongame biologists transported
eggs from Florida bald eagle nests to the Sutton Avian Research Center
in Bartlesville. Several weeks after hatching the young eagles were
placed in hacking towers and eventually released into the wild. It is
hoped that they will return as adults and raise their young in the
state.
What to do if you see an eagle nest: Bald eagle nests are huge
structures of sticks, usually built near the top of a large tree not far
from the water. It will be tended by two adult eagles between April and
July. If you think you have found a bald eagle nest, report it by
calling (405)521-4616. STAY AWAY FROM THE NEST AREA! As with all
raptors, nesting eagles are easily disturbed and may abandon a nest if
approached
Bald and Golden Eagles in Flight
When an eagle is seen flying overhead, look for these characteristics to
distinguish between bald and golden eagles, young and adult birds.
The adult bald eagle with its dark body and white head and tail, is
an unmistakable bird.
Immature bald eagles show a whiteline on the underwing coverts. The
body is dark but usually has irregular white mottling in the feathers
until close to adulthood.
(Red-tailed hawk shown for size comparison.)
Immature golden eagles have dark bodies with a white patch in the
wing feathers and white at the base of the tail.
The adult golden eagle is solid dark brown with a golden nape of the
neck and faint bars in the tail.
Bald Eagle Facts
Name: The word "bald" originally meant
"white-headed." The scientific name, Haliaeetus
leucocephalus, means "whiteheaded sea eagle" in Latin.
Size: With a 6.5- to 7-foot wingspan, the bald eagle is one of
the largest birds of prey in the world. Adults are 3-3.5 feet tall and
weigh 8 to 15 pounds. Like many predatory birds, the female is larger
than the male, but size cannot be used conclusively for identification.
Color: Male and female bald eagles are identical in color. The
distinctive white head and tail mark an adult, a sexually nature bird
that is at least 4 to 5 years old. Younger individuals are almost solid
brown, although a general mottling in the body feathers and a light
coloration in the head and tail develop in older immatures. Both young
and adult bald eagles have yellow legs. The young birds have a dark beak
and black eyes, both of which turn bright yellow as they become adults.
Similar Species: Immature bald eagles often are confused with
golden eagles, which are also nearly solid brown. One characteristic
that sets the two species apart is the leg. The bald eagle's legs are
naked, while golden eagles have feathers all the way down to the talons.
In flight, bald eagles soar with flat wings while golden eagles soar
with their wings raised in a slight "V."
Foods: Fish comprise the bulk of the bald eagle's diet. In
midwinter, dead or crippled waterfowl and other wildlife become
important food sources.
Prey Size: The weight of prey items varies from tiny fish to
larger carrion. An eagle would have difficulty carrying anything greater
than its own weight, and eagle prey are most frequently within the 3- to
5-pound range.
Nest: Nests usually are built near the top of a large tree.
Enlarged annually, a bald eagle nest can become the largest of any North
American bird. The record nest measured 20 feet deep, 10 feet wide and
weighed two tons!
Eggs: Bald eagles lay two (rarely three) white eggs each year.
Both parents incubate the eggs for a 35-day period. Young: At 10 to 12
weeks of age, eaglets are fully feathered, nearly full grown and can fly
from the nest.
Longevity: Although the life expectancy of wild eagles may 30
years, some have lived 50 years in captivity.
Eyesight: The bald eagle's eyesight is 5 to 6 times sharper an
a human's.
Speed: Eagles fly 20 to 60 miles per hour in normal flight and
dive at more than 100 miles an hour.
The Future
The future for the bald eagle no longer looks as bleak as it once did.
Concem over declining populations prompted the creation of a number of
protective measures for this and other birds. Today, both the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act and the Eagle Protection Act prohibit killing,
possessing or harming bald eagles in any way. The Endangered Species Act
also protects both the species itself and some areas of habitat critical
to its survival. These laws and others have helped to slow the decline
of this species.
Perhaps more important was the ban of DDT in 1972, as well as other
pesticide restrictions, which apparently have resulted in increased
reproductive success. No longer are bald eagle populations declining at
the rate they did when the use of these products was widespread.
What You Should Know
An increase in public awareness about the value of eagles and the strict
penalties for killing eagles seems to have lessened persecution.
Indiscriminate shootings still occur though, and bald eagles are found
dead in Oklahoma each year.
The bald eagle is protected by a number of state and federal laws,
each with stiff penalties. For example, the Eagle Protection Act, which
protects bald and golden eagles, combined with the Criminal Fines
Improvement Act of 1987, can cause violators to spend one year in jail
or be fined $100,000 on a misdemeanor charge. A second consecutive
violation is automatically considered a felony with two years
imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. It is illegal to pursue, harm, harass,
take or attempt to take, possess, sell, purchase or transport either
eagles, eagle pans or their eggs.
If you know of anyone committing such a violation, call Operation
Game Thief at 1-800-522-8039, or contact the state game warden in your
county. You should also call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law
Enforcement Agent in your area: (918) 581-7469 or (405) 231-5251.
Golden Eagles
Oklahoma has a small nesting population of golden eagles in the western
pan of the state, with some wintering in remote areas throughout the
state. These birds, while not listed as endangered, have also suffered
population declines. In the 1980s, perhaps only six to 10 pairs of
golden eagles nested in Oklahoma. The two species of eagles are not
closely related. The golden eagle is a more western bird that ranges
over mountains and grasslands, feeding primarily on rabbits, rodents and
other small mammals. This species is protected by most of the same state
and federal laws as the bald eagle and warrants the same respect we give
our national symbol.
Nongame Wildlife Program
 In
1981, the state legislature passed the Nongame wildlife Act, allowing
taxpayers entitled to a refund to assist nongame wildlife. By checking
the appropriate line on the state income tax form, you can donate $2, $5
or any portion of your refund to support the Nongame Wildlife Program.
Your donation will be deducted from the refund check and is tax
deductible on next year's federal tax form if you itemize. Look for the
Nongame Program's new logo (shown below) and remember to "Search
for the scissortail" on your state tax form.
Besides re-establishing a nesting population of bald
eagles in the state, the Nongame Program has used funds to census
wintering eagle populations, enhance viewing opportunities and provide
informational workshops. Donations also help other endangered species,
prairie dogs, bluebirds and other bird species, and watchable wildlife
around the state.
Even if you aren't receiving a state tax refund, you can
still support the Nongame Program with an annual donation by mail. To
support the program, or for more information, write to:
Nongame Wildlife Program
1801 N. Lincoln
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
or call(405)52l-4616.
For More Information
Other information about Oklahoma eagles available through
the Wildlife Department includes:
-
"Spirit of the Eagle," a 30 minute videotape
-
Birds of North America, a field guide
-
Oklahoma Watchable Wildlife Viewing Guide, a
full-color, 84-page booklet with refional maps, lists of species and
local facilities.
Contact the Nongame Program at the address and phone
listed on the first page of this resource.
Another source of eagle information is the George M.
Sutton Avian Research Center, P.O. Box 2007, Bartlesville, OK 74005, (918)
336-7778. |
