Missouri is an eagle-watcher's paradise in the winter time.

Except for Alaska and Washington, no other state hosts a larger population of wintering eagles than does Missouri, said Jim D. Wilson, a Missouri Department of Conservation ornithologist in Jefferson City.

"Last year we counted 1,812 eagles, to be exact," Wilson said.

The majestic birds spend most of the year in the northern Great Lakes and Canada. As winter approaches, they drift southward to Missouri to perch and soar above open lakes and rivers in search for a meal of fish, or perhaps a crippled or dead duck or goose.

Bald eagles and a few golden eagles winter in more than half of Missouri's 112 counties, Wilson said.

"You can see eagles about anywhere in Missouri; they're all over the place," he said.

Eagles are likely to be found near any large body of water that doesn't freeze over or holds large numbers of waterfowl, Wilson said.

In Southeast Missouri, both Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek Wildlife Area off of Highway 51 north of Puxico are favorite hangouts for eagles.

Jerry Clawson, manager at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, said: "We've probably got 40 or 50 eagles here now. In the wintertime, the eagles come and go with the bird migration. When the ducks and geese are here, it's hunting season for the eagles."

Bald eagles can be seen perching on dead trees in lakes, patiently watching the thousands of migrating Canada geese and ducks that stop at the refuge.

"They're fun to watch," Clawson said. "If you find a concentration of Canada geese, there is a good chance there will be an eagle watching them."

The eagle once bred and prospered in Missouri. That was before man's encroachment and farm chemicals took a toll. But 13 eaglets were fledged from eight nests around the state last year, and wildlife experts are hopeful the bird that is the national symbol is on the comeback trail in the state.

Clawson said Mingo features three eagle nests. "They are here all year round. They raise their young here," he said. "We went for 50 years when there were no nesting eagles in Missouri at all."

Now the number is on the rise.

Larry Heggemann, wildlife management assistant at Duck Creek Wildlife Area, said a pair of eagles have resided in the area for the past five years. This year they have two offspring. "They have produced one or two young here for the past five years," he said.

He said the eagles' nest is in the south-central part of the area in a cypress tree. "It's easy to see almost any day," he said.

The number of migratory birds varies greatly. "It depends on the weather; when it's colder it brings more down." This year between 10 and 15 eagles are in the area.

"To see them, sun-shiny days are really spectacular," Heggemann said. "You see the adults with their brilliant colors: the white head and white tail.

"Anybody can show up on any day and have a good chance of seeing them. It does help to have a pair of binoculars, but there are also times when they will be right along the road."

Southern Illinois, with its large winter waterfowl population, also provides excellent opportunities for eagle-watching.

Two nearby wildlife refuges Horseshoe Lake in Alexander County and the Union County Wildlife Refuge are host to as many as 140 bald eagles this year.

"We have from 50 to 70 eagles at each of these areas," said Dennis Thornburg, Illinois Department of Conservation waterfowl program manager, who works out of the Union County Refuge. "If you drive through either of these refuges, you'll probably see as many as eight to 10 eagles. It's common to see them."

He said the eagles migrate between the two refuges as well as along the Mississippi River.

"We had a successful nesting here (in Union County) last year," he said. "We'll probably have another nest or two here this year."

The Missouri Conservation Department sponsors Eagle Days at several places statewide each year to help Missourians learn more about eagles and their habits.

This year's final Eagle Days event is today at Lock and Dam 24 at Clarksville, between Hannibal and St. Louis on the Mississippi River.

Every other year an Eagle Days program is held at Mingo. This is the off year, but plenty of eagle-watching is going on.

Eagles that winter in Missouri will begin heading back north in mid-to-late February, Wilson said.

Until then eagle-watchers can find the birds perched in the trees at the water's edge or soaring through the sky.

Heggemann said staff at Duck Creek are happy to answer questions and direct visitors to the best viewing areas.

"The area will be open all winter for viewing of eagles," he said.

"The best time to come out is early in the morning, a little after daylight, when they are most active and feeding," Heggemann said. "The rest of the day you can usually find them lounging around in a tree out on the pool."

Wilson said: "Keep an eye out for the white head. Look in the taller trees that line the water's edge, especially sycamore trees. They like the large trees.

"Check out all the soaring birds you see in the sky. Those birds you dismiss as hawks may be eagles."

(Some information for this story was provided by Ray Owen, Southeast Missourian associate editor, and Jerry Nachtigal, Associated Press writer.)