About
the Bald Eagle Migration Study
For
the 15th season in a row, New York biologist Peter Nye will
share satellite telemetry data with students as he tracks
the travels of adult Bald eagles in New York state.
Satelite
tracking data from adult eagle PTT's will provide students
with a great opportunity to compare and contrast the migrations
of individual adult eagles. Students can review
previous migration data, learn
about eagle habitat and diet. They
can also explore Canada's
climate, and how weather systems affect each eagle's
journey using real-time weather data. With
all this information, students then
estimate when the eagles will head back north to their individual
nesting sites. |
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Biologist
Peter Nye and Bald Eagle with Satellite Transmitter (PTT)
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As
a refresher, here are the 4 bald eagles that we are still tracking;
all are adults and all were captured along the Upper Delaware
River of New York:
U21
= female, captured 15 January 2006; ptt#59786
U25 = female, captured 25 January 2006; ptt#59787
U27 = female, captured 1 February 2006; ptt#59788
S28 = female captured 7 January 2008; ptt#59794
Nye
believes the timing of an eagle's departure from New York
is a clue to its ultimate nesting destination. The further
north the eagle's nest, he theorizes, the later it leaves
New York. This suggests the eagle has an incredible sense
of timing. Study all our migration
maps to answer this: Which eagles do you suppose will
migrate latest?
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Background |
Recently
removed from the endangered species list, the eagle's recovery
is a conservation success story. Students will learn about
DDT in the food chain and analyze eagle population statistics
during the years of its recovery. New research, however, suggests
other chemicals in the environment may now be threatening
eagles. Nye's work in New York is presently measuring levels
of such chemicals. Thus, while conservation challenges continue
to confront eagles, past lessons have made scientists and
citizens more watchful.
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Learn
More About Peter Nye
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