Thirty years ago, catching a glimpse of our national symbol, the American bald eagle, would have been a rare occurrence. Loss of habitat, pesticide pollution, and indiscriminant killing brought this second-largest North American bird to near extinction. After the bald eagle was listed as endangered in 1976, local, state, and federal agencies worked together to study, monitor, and protect this imperiled raptor. As testament to endangered species legislation and multi-agency efforts, on August 11, 1995, the bald eagle was down-listed from endangered to threatened. Today, Colorado boasts over 60 pairs of nesting bald eagles and during the winter, as they migrate southward from Canada and Alaska, it is not unusual to find pockets of ten to 100+ birds roosting near rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
Why do so many eagles migrate into Colorado? It’s simple. The state’s relatively mild winters and trout-stocked waters are an open invitation to this fish-eating bird.
Best viewing months: Although they can be seen year round, your best opportunity for viewing bald eagles in Colorado occurs from October to March when as many as 1200 birds spend the winter here.
The best times of the day for seeing roosting eagles is early morning or late in the day. Remember to take along those binoculars and spotting scopes because eagles can see five to eight times better than humans and they won’t tolerate close approaches.
Have an engaging eagle excursion!