Bald Eagles Living Closer Together as Population Rises

The number of bald eagles nesting on the Mississippi River continues to rise. The growing populations could be changing the bird’s behaviors.

When Clyde Male started working with the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge in the mid-80s, there were two bald eagle nests in his region. Today, in the section of the refuge that stretches from the Wisconsin border to Genoa, there are 174 bald eagle nests. As the assistant manager of the McGregor District, Male says dwindling habitat has pushed bald eagles into the refuge: “We’re in the hotbed. It would be a rarity to not see an eagle.”

As the National Wildlife Refuge becomes more concentrated with eagle nests, Male says the birds may not need as much space as researchers previously thought. “An adult bird can sit on a nest and look across the slough and see another eagle on a nest. Before, that was unheard of, but we have seen it here: Those birds have now saturated such levels where they’re looking at each other.”

Bald eagle populations are on the rise in many parts of the country, including Wabasha, Minnesota, where the National Eagle Center is located. Education Director Scott Mehus says eagles continue moving into new areas. “As there are more eagles out there, we’re seeing eagles spreading out a little more away from the river: some of the smaller tributaries, working their way up into those areas.”

Next to Alaska, the Upper Mississippi River has the highest concentration of nesting bald eagles in the country.