Where to see bald eagles this weekend in McHenry County area, as population soars

If you’re excited and inspired by the sight of a bald eagle soaring majestically above, then your Super Bowl has arrived.

The bald eagle population in northern Illinois is surging this winter, with a special event on tap this weekend providing eagle watchers abundant opportunities to see them in action.

“We are definitely seeing more bald eagles year-round in our region than we did in the past,” said Cindy Skrukrud, a founding member of Richmond-based Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. “Winter brings more eagles to our area as they move south from frozen areas north of us.”

Hackmatack covers roughly 11,200 acres in northern Illinois, mostly in McHenry County, and southern Wisconsin and provides habitat for 109 threatened or endangered species, including 49 species of birds.

“A tip for seeing eagles in the winter is to find open water on a river or lake. They will congregate to fish and hunt waterfowl there,” Skrukrud said.

Eagles have inspired people for ages and often appear as symbols of power. The United States adopted the bald eagle as the national symbol in 1782. A bill adopting it as the official bird of the U.S. was signed into law on Christmas Eve last year.

Exclusive to North America, the bald eagle’s wingspan can range from 5½ to 8 feet. They can grow to 40 inches in length and weigh up to 12 pounds.

Although Illinois has only 30 to 40 pairs of bald eagles that make the state their full-time home, according to the University of Illinois’ Biological Surveys and Assessment Program, the population surges to more than 3,100 eagles during winter. That’s when cold weather up north forces eagles to travel south in search of open water to hunt.

‘In Search of Eagles’

The “In Search of Eagles” program will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Algonquin Dam, the Fox River Shores Forest Preserve in Carpentersville and the McHenry Dam, all along the Fox River. The event also happens at the Williams Bay Boat Launch on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.

Visit hackmatacknwr.org/in-search-of-eagles-2025 to find maps to all four locations.

Representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Friends of Hackmatack Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Moraine Hills State Park, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, McHenry County Audubon, McHenry County Conservation District and Lakeland Audubon Society will be on hand. Scopes and binoculars will be available for use at each location, along with guided activities for children.

Skrukrud said all four sites feature open water that has been attracting eagles this winter.

No registration is required. If you have any concerns about the weather on the day of the program, call the Friends of Hackmatack at 262-448-3558 for a message regarding the status of the event.