OUTDOOR CORNER: OBSERVING BALD EAGLES A REAL TREAT; EAGLES ARE COMMON THROUGHOUT MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

For many of us, the hectic pace of the holiday season may have left us with a need to unwind and relax. A need to get away from the hustle and bustle and to enjoy the simple pleasures of nature. January is the perfect time to get out and observe bald eagles.

While bald eagles have been designated as an endangered species by the federal government since 1978, they are relatively common throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois during the winter months. In fact, Missouri is one of the leading bald eagle states in the nation.

Each fall the birds migrate south from their primary nesting range in Canada and the Great Lakes states. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) conducts an annual mid-winter waterfowl and eagle survey during the first week of January.

Conservation agents in each county, in conjunction with other MDC personnel, utilize boats, planes and motor vehicles to survey their areas for eagles. The statewide totals indicate a steadily growing population.

Even more encouraging than the total number of eagles observed is the growing percentage of juvenile (immature) birds. This indicates that they are successfully reproducing.

Further proof of successful reproduction is reflected in the number of known active bald eagle nests in Missouri.

In 1987, just ten years ago, there were only two active nests in Missouri resulting in four young eagles being fledged. Just one decade later, 1997, there were 30 known nests that produced more than 60 young eagles.

More than a dozen of those active nests are located in Southeast Missouri. Four of those nests are located at Duck Creek Conservation Area and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, both near Puxico.

Other active nests are located in both Wayne and Stoddard counties as well as Perry and Mississippi counties.

When available, fish compose 60 to 90 percent of the bald eagle's diet. When freezing weather to the north causes lakes and waterways to freeze over, the eagles migrate south to find open water. They begin to arrive in Southeast Missouri in November but, depending on weather conditions, the majority arrive in December.

In addition to fish, bald eagles scavenge for dead or crippled wildlife. The combination of open water and plentiful waterfowl in the area attracts large numbers of the birds to the area.

Bald eagles are one of the largest birds of prey in the world. They have a wing span of up to eight feet and a body length of three feet or more. The distinctive white head and tail are signs of an adult, sexually mature bird, that is at least four or five years old. Younger birds vary in color from solid dark brown to a mottled brown and white plumage.

Eagles are powerful birds that have captured man's imagination for hundreds of years. In 1782 the bald eagle was officially designated as our national emblem. They are credited to have eyesight five to six times more powerful than that of a human. They normally fly at a rate of 20 to 40 miles per hour, but reach speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour while diving for their prey.

The Federal Eagle Protection Act of 1975 makes it a felony to kill an eagle. Persons convicted of killing a bald (or golden) eagle are subject to a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment up to one year, or both. The same penalty applies for the possession of an eagle, alive or dead, or for simply possessing eagle parts.

Persons who are interested in observing bald eagles can do so without having to travel great distances. Duck Creek Conservation Area and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, both near Puxico, host many migrant eagles in addition to birds that nest and raise their young.

You can observe eagles at many points along the Mississippi River. In fact, both adult and immature eagles are seen regularly from the floodgates in downtown Cape Girardeau.

In Southern Illinois, Union County Refuge and Horseshoe Lake are prime choices.

Regardless of where you go to observe eagles, take along a pair of binoculars and a camera. Be sure to watch for birds perched in trees as well as those that are soaring in search of prey. On sunny days, the white head and tail of an adult bird show up easily but be sure to look closely for the more subdued colors of the immature eagles.

Gene Myers is a Missouri Department of Conservation agent in Cape Girardeau County