Bald Eagle Migration Update: April 26, 2006

Today's Report Includes:

• This Week's Bald Eagle Tracking Map and Data
• Field Notes from Eagleye Nye
• Like a Battery, U25 Keeps on Going: Challenge Question #12
• Raptor Adaptations
• Survival in the Wild: Eying Eaglets
• Bald Eagle Glossary
• Weather Affects Migration: Discussion of Challenge Question #11

• Maps for Individual Eagles
  (click event box for scroll down menu)
• This Week's Migration Data
  (Reported April 12 - 18, 2006):

Another busy week here in New York and with our eagles! Seems like it was a week for the immatures to be moving around, as you'll see from the data.

Let’s Start with Immature Eagle News
Both of our 2004 fledglings moved this week. Y94 made a pretty substantial southerly move, leaving southern New York and traveling south into southern PA. You’ll see this bird is now along the Susquehanna River just north of the Delaware Bay.
Why? (I have no idea!)
Y96 also moved, from where she had been for a while in eastern NY near our Hudson River. She has traveled west and north a bit into south-central NY. I was glad to see this move, indicating that Y96 appears ok.

Three of our four 2005 fledglings moved this week also.
P88 made a NW move, and is still in NY.
P89 moved north only a bit, and is still in NW PA. She is apparently enjoying the area around the Allegheny Reservoir which borders both PA and NY. The land and water in this region provides good habitat for quite a few wintering and nesting bald eagles.
P90 is the only one of this cohort who really didn't seem to move, also apparently content on Pymatuning Reservoir, a large water body straddling PA and OH, and also a favorite eagle nesting spot.
P91 made the biggest move of all our youngsters, making a big trip back south to the northern Delaware Bay in southern New Jersey, and area he is quite familiar with as he spent considerable time there this past winter! (Which bird is the furthest north? What is the latitude of this location?)

Adult Eagles
Now on to our adults, some of whom you know are already (we believe) sitting tight on their Canadian nests!
Adult male P04 is one that has not yet settled, moving north a bit more in Quebec, not far from the south-western Labrador border. We have yet to see where he is going to settle in.
Female V98 is secure on her nest, as you know!
Ditto with U27.

U21 sightings

U25 appears to be homing in on her area, either that, or she is wandering around what may be her natal area. As a young adult (just 4 years old), she may not breed this year. She remains generally in central Labrador.
And finally, adult female U21 made a pretty significant slightly northward but mostly westward move in Ontario. Again, we'll have to wait and see if this is "home" for her.

That's it for now from New York Eagle-central; appears we still have some more "watching" to do to see where everybody settles. Good luck to all of you as you finish off your school year; it's almost over!

Eagleye
New York State Dept. Environmental Conservation
Delmar, NY

Challenge Question #12:
“U25 wintered around the Aberdeen Proving grounds. Today she is roaming around central Labrador. How would you describe this bird’s range (total distance traveled in 2006)?”

* Hint: find the latitude/longitude for north and south locations and estimate distance using the scale of miles, or try the online calculator.)

To respond to this question, please follow these instructions.

Find out amazing facts!

An ornithologist seeing an eagle for the first time could instantly guess that this bird is a predator, it can catch fish by plucking them from the water with its feet, it flies long distances without a lot of flapping, nests in trees, and mates for life. You have learned about many of these fascinating adaptations this year. Dig a little deeper with these amazing facts. You’re sure to learn something new.

• Adaptations for Eagle Survival

How do all parts provide protection for the eaglet?

Eagle babies have many important physical characteristics to help them stay alive. As an embryo inside the egg, the baby eagle formed a body built for survival in its wild habitat.
Look closely at an eagle chick. Learn how each part of the bird is adapted to help the eagle baby survive.

• Survival of an Eaglet (3rd and up)
• Eying Eaglets (K-3)

• Eagle Glossary

Did you learn any new ones from today’s report? How about brood patch, cohort and natal?

Precipitation Map from April 3, 2006