News Release
Eagle Nature Foundation, Ltd.
300 East Hickory Street, Apple River, IL 61001
Phone: 815-594-2306 Fax: 815-594-2305 Web Site: eaglenature.com
e-mail: eaglenature.tni@juno.com Tax Exempt No. 36-4015400
| For Immediate Release | February 20, 2018 |
Results of 2018 Midwinter Bald Eagle Count Released
Apple River, IL) Terrence Ingram, compiler for the Midwinter Bald Eagle Count has just released the results of the 2018 Midwinter Bald Eagle Count. This is the 58th year for this vital count of the bald eagles in the Midwest, especially along the Mississippi River.
This year’s count documented 797 adult bald eagles, two more adults than last year’s count of 795. There were 61 sub-adults recorded, which is one less than last year’s 62 sub-adults. This year only 229 immatures were recorded, compared to 299 immatures recorded last year. This caused the percentage of immatures to drop from 31.2% last year down to 26.7% this year, which is lower than the 58 year count average of 27.3%.
Four dams on the Mississippi River had no bald eagles at all and three of the dams had only one adult bald eagle. If we would look at only the same areas as were counted during the 1960’s, we only had 490 bald eagles in this area with only 64 immatures which is about the same as it was in 1964 when 485 total bald eagles were counted, including 61 immatures.
Where is the increased number of bald eagles as claimed by the Fish & Wildlife Service to be present in the environment? In 2001 this Annual Midwinter Count recorded over 1060 immatures. If the bald eagle population has been producing more young each and every year since then, where are all of these birds located in the winter? If their statement holds any water, then there should have been at least 2-3,000 immature bald eagles recorded on this year’s count, not just 229. The public should become alarmed like Mr. Ingram is!
For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306