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Pop quiz: What area has the largest population of bald eagles in the continental U.S.?
If you said the Illinois Valley, take a bow. You know your eagles.
During the winter months, about 3,000 bald eagles (once considered endangered) swoop into the area’s relatively unfrozen waterways for fish. Five of the state’s 80 eagle nests sit along the Illinois River between Ottawa and Starved Rock State Park, comprising the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the contiguous states.
“The state’s geography and water resources create an ideal environment for eagles,” said Lisa Sons, natural resources coordinator for Matthiessen and Starved Rock. “Illinois is home to a system of major rivers, including the Illinois River. These waterways provide a consistent food source of fish, supporting the bald eagle population.”
Learn more this Saturday and Sunday when Eagle Watch Weekend returns to the Utica area. A series of programs will be Jan. 25 and 26 at Starved Rock Lodge, the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center and Utica Village Hall.
Some of the fun facts you might not know:
- Bald eagles don’t develop their distinctive white head and tail feathers until they reach maturity, typically around 4 to 5 years of age. Juvenile bald eagles can easily be confused with golden eagles due to their brown, mottled plumage.
- Bald eagles form lifelong mating bonds and consistently return to the same nesting site each year, which contributes to the impressive size of some nests over time.
- Eagles also don’t sound anything like the eagles you see in movies and on TV. Mass media often use the call of a red-tailed hawk when showing bald eagles on screen
“Most people are taken aback when they hear the bald eagle’s actual call,” Sons said, “which resembles a high-pitched cackle akin to nails on a chalkboard.”
Eagle Watch Weekend is apt to be crowded. The program typically draws a couple of thousand eagles fans and interest in the national bird has, well, soared since Eagle Watch Weekend began here in 1998. The prospect of spotting an eagle in January has boosted average monthly attendance 40% since the event was started.
Sons said education is one of the initiatives that has lifted the bald eagle off the list of endangered species.
“Illinois has participated in numerous conservation efforts focused on protecting and restoring eagle populations,” she said. “Initiatives aimed at preserving natural habitats, educational programs, eagle watch weekend events, reducing environmental pollution, and managing wildlife areas have been instrumental in the successful recovery of the bald eagle.”
And at last check the eagle population was doing well.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported in 2020 there were 316,700 bald eagles present in four eagle management units monitored in the 2019 breeding season. That was a fourfold increase since 2009.
“This indicates the bald eagle population has continued to increase rapidly since our previous survey,” the service reported in 2020.
Eagle Watch Weekend has developed into a collaboration among the IDNR, Starved Rock Lodge, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Village of Utica, with financial support from Heritage Corridor Destinations and La Salle County Tourism.
Schedule of events (all events Saturday and Sunday, unless otherwise noted)
Starved Rock Lodge
10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.: Live Bird of Prey Program
Starved Rock Visitor Center
10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: Live Bird of Prey Program
Noon to 2 p.m.: Photos with Sadie “The Starved Rock Eagle Character”
Noon: Children’s craft and story time
Illinois Waterway Visitor Center
10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Saturday only): Live Bird of Prey Program
3:30 p.m. Sunday: Children’s Owl Pellet Dissection
Utica Village Hall
10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Live Bird of Prey Program
11 a.m.: Children’s Bald Eagle Craft Time
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