Golden eagles are rare but frequent winter visitors to Tennessee. Due to their wingspan and weight, similar to bald eagles, it may be hard to identify one from another at first glance.
Few studies exist to assess the role that local sources of lead (Pb) might have on Golden Eagle nestling exposure. Pb stable isotopes could help distinguish among potential sources and could provide valuable insights for managing Pb exposure among Golden Eagles.
Location
The golden eagle is one of the world’s most successful birds of prey, breeding across every continent and often seen on vacation in Maine – yet it has not nested here since 1997!
Though rare in our state, observers still report sightings to WDFW for population trend analysis, habitat condition assessment, and other conservation considerations. The best way to submit rare bird sightings is via the Wildlife Report Form at WDFW; providing photos or exact coordinates will increase its value significantly and assist us with species conservation and management efforts.
Although golden eagles may be rare in Minnesota, Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data and other sources show their population to be either stable or slightly declining across much of their North American range. Loss of habitat, reduction of prey item availability, lead poisoning, and collisions with wind energy facilities appear to be factors. For more information about their status in our state, visit the WDFW Rare Bird Alert.
Fishing Conditions
Eagle Lake has proven difficult for trout anglers in recent weeks. Temperatures remain in the upper 70’s while oxygen levels have made targeting fish difficult. Coho are expected to enter soon but require substantial rainfall before targeting successfully. Access to long stretches of creek runs through private land can also prove tricky; anglers should obtain permission before fishing these parts of the stream.
Bottom fishing aboard the Royal Miss Belmar and Royal Princess was productive this week with plenty of sea bass, tog, and porgies to keep rods bent. Weather looks favorable for next week, with southerly winds providing ample sail but will come with some chill.
WDFW wildlife reporting form. Reporting golden eagle sightings helps us better understand their prevalence in Washington state and assist with conservation and management initiatives. If possible, include photographs and precise coordinates to bolster the confidence and value of observations submitted to us by WDFW.
Fishing Method
Golden Eagles are large and swift raptors found throughout North America, standing out with bright gold feathers adorning both head and neck. Soaring freely over western North America on steady wings while hunting jackrabbits or small mammals for food, the Golden Eagle is both revered and feared; people pose the greatest danger to this powerful predator’s survival historically and today.
Golden Eagles are opportunistic predators that feed on various species. During the breeding season, their diet usually includes rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and reptiles like snakes. Bird species such as pheasants and grouse can also be taken along with reptiles and fish; occasionally, even larger mammals like mule deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn may appear- although this rarely occurs.
WDFW is currently addressing critical conservation and mitigation issues affecting Washington Golden Eagle populations, such as technical assessments of population status and distribution, habitat associations, diet/prey associations, and population limiting factors.
These assessment results will guide conservation actions and inform the creation of compensatory mitigation strategies. A vital part of this work involves developing modeling tools designed to identify locations where new energy development may conflict with Golden Eagle space use; such models are available on ServCat and will continue to be refined as more data from ongoing telemetry studies become available.
Models provide spatially explicit space-use maps for adult golden eagles that can help identify areas where development and activities should be avoided, evaluate project proposals, develop mitigation measures, and identify high-priority locations for golden eagles.
Information about the status of Golden Eagle populations is critical for making wise decisions regarding land management, conservation, and development across large geographical areas. WDFW and our partners are conducting ecoregion-specific risk assessments that can be integrated into an assessment model framework to provide more granular details regarding siting energy developments, prioritizing mitigation areas, or creating conservation banks.
Fishing Report
Golden eagles, as one of the most iconic and widespread birds in North America, merit our best efforts in protecting them. As part of this commitment, we continue to invest in various research projects and resources that enable us to understand more about their biology, ecology, and habitat requirements – providing an evidence base that allows us to manage eagles effectively and assist partners who work on conserving habitat and food sources essential for their survival.
Eagles are highly sensitive to prey availability, and human activities that alter or reduce it may directly impede their survival or reproductive success – whether through mortality, starvation, or reduced fecundity. Furthermore, indirect factors may impact these birds through changes to habitat availability, prey resource availability, or modifications of conditions for nesting, breeding, and roosting, ultimately affecting population viability in an intricate web of factors.
The Service is currently working closely with state and tribal governments, industry partners, and researchers to address some of these issues through scientific assessments and products such as hazard evaluation and mitigation planning tools that support its land management, energy development, and other projects under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
As one example, the Service has designed a hazard assessment tool for land-based wind turbines in the Western United States that incorporates an innovative methodology for assessing risk to eagles from collision with turbine blades. This cost-effective and practical tool provides practical approaches for project designs, siting decisions, mitigation measures, and mitigating measures that ensure projects conform with laws protecting them and are compliant.
The tool aims to assist developers and operators of land-based wind facilities avoid conflicts with the law and mitigate impacts on golden eagles by providing access to existing hazard maps that can help evaluate any proposed projects’ effects on existing or projected hazard maps for any species (including golden eagles).
