EagleCam: WDFW EagleCam - View nesting eagles live online! Fast Facts: Bald eagles that nest in Washington constitute a different population than eagles that winter here. After nesting, breeding eagles migrate to British Columbia and southeast Alaska for several weeks in the fall before they return to Washington. Little has been documented about bald eagle longevity in the wild. A few band returns from Alaska show wild eagles may live up to 35 years. Bald eagles molt through several transitional plumages before attaining the white head and tail characteristic of a sexually-mature adult (see photos). Although bald eagles establish strong pair-bonds, telemetry data suggests individuals of a mated pair may be supplanted by other adults more often than traditionally believed. Related Links: Raptor Information System The Eagle's Advocate Web Site Argos Satellite Telemetry Website K- 12 students learn about wildlife migration throughout N. America, including Skagit River bald eagles

The Threatened Species in Washington state. About 600 nesting pairs of bald eagles reside in the state. Several hundred additional bald eagles occupy rivers and streams each winter to feed on carcasses of chum and coho salmon that have returned to spawn. The Skagit River is one of the key wintering areas for bald eagles in the Pacific Northwest, with as many as 500 eagles found on the upper reaches within the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System (SW&SRS). The river is also popular for sport fishing, rafting, and bird watching. Because a relatively large eagle population uses the river in winter, the U.S. Forest Service, which oversees management of the SW&SRS, has proposed closing portions of the river to surface water use during morning hours to reduce human impacts on bald eagles. To better assess the need to regulate human activities in the SW&SRS, the WDFW, in cooperation with the Forest Service and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, initiated a research project in the winter of 1996. The purpose of the research is to help clarify the importance of winter activities to the health of Skagit River bald eagles. Eagles are trapped, banded, and affixed with satellite transmitters to monitor their movements. By following these eagles, we can identify their origins, the status of breeding populations where they originate, and their individual survival. Transitional plumages of bald eagles from juvenile through adult.

Adult eagle perched on roosting tree along the Skagit River. Chum salmon carcasses are the principal reason eagles concentrate along the river during winter.

Contact wildthing@dfw.wa.gov for more information about research.