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Program Information:
Colorado and Metro Denver have the good fortune to be home to many resident and
migrant Bald Eagles. However, this was not always the case. In 1974, there was
only a single breeding pair of Bald Eagles in Colorado and their population
across the nation was suffering serious declines. In 1976, the Bald Eagle was
officially listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act. Today,
through the concerted efforts of many agencies and individuals, Bald Eagle
numbers have increased and there are currently over 30 breeding pairs in the
state of Colorado. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently changed the
listing of Bald Eagles from "endangered" to "threatened" and is reviewing plans
to take Bald Eagles off of the Endangered Species List.
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory monitors local eagle nests to help ensure their
success and to collect biological information. With the aid of many volunteers,
Bald Eagle Watchers collect data from January through July concerning many
aspects of the breeding cycle such as courtship, incubation, feeding of
nestlings, and fledging of the juveniles. In cooperation with the
Colorado Division of Wildlife
young eagles are banded when they are 5-7 weeks old. During banding, young
eagles are weighed and measurements are taken. At this time, young eagles weigh
6 1/2 - 10 lbs. Adult male eagles weigh 8-10 lbs and females weigh 12-14 lbs.
Of several local nests, the Barr Lake eagles are among the most well known.
They began making nesting attempts in 1986, the first known nest located on the
Front Range in many years. After three years of trying, these eagles
successfully nested in 1989 and since then, have produced 27 offspring.
If you are interested in viewing Bald Eagles year round, we suggest visiting
Barr Lake State Park. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory offers a variety of ways
to learn more about Bald Eagles:
For More Information:
nelda.gamble@rmbo.org
Bald Eagle Watch Coordinator
P.O. Box 1232
Brighton, CO 80601-1232
tel: (303) 659-4348
fax: (303) 659-0791
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory is located at:
14500 Lark Bunting Lane
Brighton, CO 80603
USA
