Dan Groebner, AZGFD

We're back!

After taking a couple of years off when we needed to physically distance ourselves from each other, the White Mountain Eagle Fest is back with a full schedule of presentations, activities and a field experience. The Eagle Fest is hosted and co-sponsored by the White Mountain Nature Center, 425 S. Woodland Road in Pinetop/Lakeside, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Why is the White Mountains one of the premiere eagle viewing areas in the Arizona during the winter? Most of it is due to the fact that we have many small water sources that can provide a winter home for migrating waterfowl, the main item on a wintering eagle's diet. Other areas with large rivers, like the Colorado or Mississippi, can attract more eagles since they always have open water, but luckily we don't have to travel that far to see both bald and golden eagles.  

It turns out that the White Mountains’ lakes and ponds usually have some open water but if you go further north most of the water stays solid through the winter, providing no waterfowl habitat or open fishing opportunities for eagles. So, in the fall, the northern eagles only go as far south as they have to in order to find enough food to sustain themselves. This survival adaptation of eagles means that there are usually lots of eagles to observe in our area during the winter.

There is no guarantee that you will see both golden and bald eagles on the field trip portion of the Eagle Fest since it depends on weather and luck sometimes. However, participants will be given tips on some of the best eagle viewing areas in the White Mountains.

During migration, eagles are not territorial so you can sometimes see a half dozen perched in the same tree, seemingly oblivious to each other. They don't migrate in flocks like geese, even though some raptors do, like broad-winged hawks of the eastern United States.  

They just don't seem to mind sharing their secret hunting and fishing spots with each other, including birds from many different generations as shown by their feather plumage, which takes 5 years to finally become the regal bald eagle that is our National Symbol. Teaching the younger generations where and how to gather food is an important reason why eagle populations are on the rebound.  

Even though some bald eagles maintain a pair bond and raise chicks for more than 2 decades, they rarely travel long distances or migrate with each other. This obviously changes during the reproductive and chick rearing season, as the males help incubate and also feed the young before the chicks fledge and fly off on their own. 

The White Mountains not only provide a nice rest stop for migrating eagles going both north and south, but the local habitat also provides enough summertime food to support a number of local nesting eagles. These pairs of nesting bald eagles have been studied for years through banding and satellite telemetry projects. Some even have colored numbered bands on their legs that can be read from a distance with a spotting scope.  

During a previous year's Eagle Fest, one of these banded birds was observed on Rainbow Lake where the field trip sets up with spotting scopes on tripods. Knowledgeable birders share their expertise and nice optics along the shores of Rainbow Lake to provide amazing views of the eagles — if they decide to cooperate and perch nearby. Folks will be able to drive and park near the shoreline, making it an easy walk to see eagles.

Prior to the field trip, the Eagle Fest program will feature a non-releasable bald eagle being rehabilitated by Liberty Wildlife, the premiere wildlife rehab facility in Arizona. The eagle's handlers will discuss the work they do at their Phoenix headquarters including all the special care that larger raptors like bald and golden eagles require. After their presentation, there is usually time for pictures with the ambassador eagle.

A presentation by a Game and Fish biologist will provide a current update on the eagle population in the White Mountains as well as some of the most interesting aspects of eagle biology in Arizona. For example, after years of banding studies, it is apparent that many eagle chicks born in the White Mountains often travel back to the White Mountains to start their own nests after the 5 years it takes them to become mature.  

Much of the information we have today is a product of the hard work of dedicated Nestwatchers, field technicians who camp out near nests during their most vulnerable stages. In addition to making habitat use observations, these Nestwatchers also protect nests by informing people if their activities are likely to cause a nest disturbance and failure. A full description of the Nestwatch program is also part of the indoor presentations prior to the field trips during the Eagle Expo.

The Eagle Fest will also explore the cultural connections that eagles have with humans, including local tribal customs and cultures. Eagles are a symbol of fertility since they usually have at least one chick survive to the point where they can fly. Eagles were also thought to act as messengers for humans on Earth to the Gods in the heavens since they traveled in both realms.  

Bald eagles are one of the true wildlife conservation success stories. Their populations have risen from the low of maybe 500 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states in the late 1960s — due to management efforts by many individuals and agencies, including the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee, a coalition of 26 government agencies, private organizations, and Native American tribes. Thanks to these efforts, bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in 2011. Although not protected as an endangered species, they retain essentially the same protections with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty.

The White Mountain Eagle Fest will also provide tips and hints on how to best observe and photograph eagles in the area without disturbing them or violating any closures. Sometimes it can take multiple trips to the same area to find the birds in a situation for a good photo, but trails around Woodland, Show Low and Fools Hollow Lake offer excellent opportunities.

The 2023 White Mountain Eagle Fest will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the White Mountain Nature Center in Pinetop/Lakeside. Check the Outdoors Southwest and the White Mountain Nature Center's website calendar for more details.