Just 25 miles northeast of St Louis, the confluence of three mighty rivers — the Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri — creates an enormous floodplain where waterways and wetlands provide ideal conditions for wildlife. Here, along the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway, Bald Eagles congregate in the winter drawn to the open waters, far from the frozen north.

Early on a sunny winter morning, the silence is broken by a shrill, high-pitched call of the Bald Eagle as it soars above its perch in the Cottonwood tree to dive into the serenely flowing river. Mighty talons stretch and point before closing around a large fish. Breakfast firmly in talon, the bird settles on a nearby ice floe, floating gently down the Mississippi to devour its catch or seemingly just to enjoy the ride,

It is a scene repeated time and time again along the 33 miles of roadway which link the Lewis and Clark State History Site with Père Marquette State Park, north of Grafton , Illinois, nicknamed  “The Winter Home of the Bald Eagle.” Approximately 2,000 eagles migrate to this area of the Mississippi Valley starting in about December. They spend the winter feeding along the open waterways before returning to their homes in the northern US and Canada in March.

Although the Bald Eagle was named as a National Emblem of the United State in 1782, it suffered greatly from hunting and the impact of pesticides until, by the 1970s, there were only 200 pairs of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. Vigorous conservative efforts and a ban on pesticides have brought the species back from the edge of extinction. Although Bald Eagles were removed from the endangered list in 2007, continued vigilance is required to protect this magnificent bird.

Mature bald eagles are easy to identify with a large white head and tail (referred to as ‘golf balls’ by some birders), a bright yellow bill and brown body. The immature Bald Eagle is all brown, with only a small amount of white spotting. They do not develop the signature colorings of the adults until they are 4-5 years old.

Look for Bald Eagles perched in the trees along the soaring sheer limestone cliffs that line the road; watch as they use their 6-ft wingspan to cruise through the sky, plummeting to earth, at up to 100 miles an hour, to catch unsuspecting prey. But you have to go early. By 10 am the birds are back in the trees.

In addition to Bald Eagles, the immense floodplain is home to dozens of different species of birds in the winter including hundreds of white pelicans and trumpeter swans, making this area of the Mississippi River a photographer’s dream

IF YOU GO
Directions to the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway can be found at www.greatriverbyway.com.
Eagles do not stay in any one spot. They move constantly. Stop in at the Alton Visitors Center to find out where the eagles have been spotted. The very helpful rangers at Père Marquette State Park (5 miles west of Grafton; 13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton , IL0 will also provide information on where to look for the eagles. Alternatively, information is available at The Land Between Two Rivers (www.fws.gov/midwest/TwoRivers. Www.greatriverroad.com provides up to date information on local events in the area, including the many Bald Eagle Days that are hosted by different towns.

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