Searching for Bald Eagle Nests

This crossed the desk from the folks with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Mark Twain Lake.

The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America.  It is the national bird and the recognized symbol of the United States of America.  In the late 20th century the Bald Eagle was on the brink of extinction in the continental United States, while flourishing in much of Alaska and Canada.  Populations recovered and stabilized, so the species was removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species and transferred to the list of threatened species on July 12, 1995, and it was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the Lower 48 States on June 28, 2007.

The Bald Eagle’s nest is the largest of any bird in North America; it is used repeatedly over many years and with new material added each year.  The nest may eventually be as large as 13 feet deep, 8.2 feet across and weigh upwards of 1-2 tons!  The nest is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees and is built out of branches.

Viewing a live Bald Eagle brings a variety of emotion to each individual who gets the chance to catch a glimpse of this majestic symbol of our country.  Although Mark Twain Lake is not as well known for its Eagle viewing as some spots along the rivers, it does hold its fair share of nesting sites.  Finding those can sometimes be tricky.

This is your chance to help your fellow visitors to Mark Twain Lake experience an Eagle viewing for themselves.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Mark Twain Lake wishes to start identifying the locations of these nests on the large lake map located within the lobby of the M.W. Boudreaux Memorial Visitor Center.  Simply stop by the visitor center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily to show the staff a location so others can share in the joy of seeing an Eagle for themselves.

The M.W. Boudreaux Memorial Visitor Center is located along Highway J just south of the Clarence Cannon Dam.  If you would like more information please feel free to contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by email at marktwaininfo@usace.army.mil or call 573-735-4097.