Midwinter Survey Shows Increased Bald Eagle Sightings

[Cara J]

In the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, 90 volunteers recently counted over 400 eagles in the annual midwinter bald eagle survey conducted by the Bureau of Land Management’s Buffalo Field Office. The results of the survey showed an increase in bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) since last year and no major change in the number of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), according to the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM said the reason for the shift in population numbers is unknown. However, the survey totals change every year, according to the BLM. This year, an increase in the distribution of bald eagles could be due to changes in weather to the north, food availability, prey species population cycles, increased nest success and recruitment as well as other factors, according to Charlotte Darling, rangeland management specialist for the BLM’s Buffalo Field Office. During the survey, volunteers noted eagles in large groups — likely because of cold weather at the time that might have caused the eagles to stick together. Also, volunteers counted a number of eagles along new survey routes that were added so more people could be involved in the count. According to the BLM, although many eagles are spotted in the [...]

 

Read more: http://wildlife.org/midwinter-survey-shows-increased-bald-eagle-sightings/