Wings over the Mississippi

The bald eagle made headlines before Christmas when former President Joe Biden signed legislation that made it the country’s national bird (which most people already assumed it was, of course). The official recognition confirmed what Americans already knew: the bald eagle is our most beloved bird.

On a visit last fall to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota, I got the chance to learn about the biology, history and cultural significance of these majestic birds. After touring the exhibits in the center’s beautifully designed building overlooking the Mississippi River, I came away even more impressed by the eagles that often soar in Iowa skies.

From the plaza outside of the center, I could see the wooded expanse of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge across the river. Stretching 261 miles from the National Eagle Center to Rock Island, Illinois, it provides vital habitat for a diverse array of birds, fish, wildlife and plants. Bald eagles are a common sight here, often perching in trees by the river and scanning the waters for fish.

Inside the center, the resident bird ambassadors include four bald eagles and a red-tailed hawk, raptors that were rehabilitated after being rescued from locations around the United States. I met two of them in Ambassador Avenue, a viewing area located just inside the building. From their perches a few feet away, Angel and Was’aka didn’t look nearly as excited to see me as I was by them.

“Our eagles can’t be safely released into the wild because of their injuries, which is why they can serve as ambassadors at our center,” explained avian education specialist Jarod Lueck, who went on to point out some of the remarkable features of their anatomy, from their razor-sharp beaks and water-repellant feathers to their powerful talons. “In the wild, eagles can live 20 to 25 years, but under human care, they can live more than 40 years.”

Two floors of exhibits provided me with more information about our newly named national bird. I marveled at a replica of a nine-foot-wide bald eagle nest, which matches the dimensions of a world-record nest discovered in Florida. Another exhibit showcases the diversity of the world’s 60 eagle species, of which only two, the bald and golden eagle, are native to North America.

I learned of the conservation efforts that brought the bald eagle back from near-extinction in the 1960s. The major cause was the use of DDT, which resulted in deformed and thin eggshells. Since the pesticide was banned, bird populations have steadily increased, so that today there are more than 316,000 bald eagles in the lower 48 states.

That said, individual eagles still have daunting odds for survival. Only 50 percent of eaglets reach one year of age, and once fledged, many die from impact injuries, starvation, disease, shooting, and electrocution. Another significant threat is lead fragments from bullets and fishing tackle, which poison eagles when they scavenge carcasses. By switching to non-lead gear, hunters and anglers can play an important role in protecting eagle populations.

The outside plaza at the National Eagle Center offers expansive views of the Mississippi River. (Lori Erickson)

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Naturalist Conor Masak leads a program at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota, with the help of an eagle named Latsch. (Lori Erickson)

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An interactive exhibit gave me a sense for the weight of a mature bald eagle. While adult females weigh between 10 and 14 pounds, males are about 25 percent lighter. Sliding my forearm beneath a replica of an adult eagle, I was struck by the bird’s heft.

Another exhibit reveals the anatomy behind the bird’s keen eyesight, which allows them to spot a rabbit from as far as three miles away. Due to the large size of their eyeballs relative to their skull, however, eagles can’t move their eyes independently and must turn their entire head to see to the sides.

The Cultural Connections Gallery describes the significance eagles hold in the spiritual traditions of the Dakota people, who are the Native inhabitants of the Wabasha area. The Prairie Island Indian Community, a long-term partner and supporter of the center, regards both bald and golden eagles with deep reverence. Known as “wambdi” in Dakota, eagles symbolize honesty, majesty, strength, wisdom and power.

The adjacent American Eagle Gallery displays a diverse array of eagle-themed imagery spanning government, art, the military and pop culture. Included are an eagle statue used at Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1941 and film posters featuring eagles. The selections are part of the center’s collection of 40,000 eagle artifacts, most of which were donated by Preston Cook, the Wabasha resident who spearheaded the efforts to have the bald eagle declared our national bird.

More than just eagles are featured here. The Masters of the Sky exhibit describes other native raptors, from broad-winged hawks and peregrine falcons to ospreys and kestrels, giving information on their habitats, diet and how to identify them.

After touring the center, I stepped outside to attend one of its daily eagle programs, which in warm weather are held in an amphitheater overlooking the river. Conor Masak, one of the center’s naturalists, introduced us to Latsch, a handsome eagle with a piercing stare who perched on his arm.

“Latsch was found on the bank of the Mississippi River near the town of Winona in 2016,” he said. “He’d probably just fledged. But because he’s blind in one eye, he couldn’t hunt for food and would have died without our care.”

Masak explained that the National Eagle Center is located in Wabasha because of the large number of eagles that live here year-round. Minnesota has the second-largest population of bald eagles in the United States, surpassed only by Alaska. The Upper Mississippi River Valley provides ideal habitat for these birds, thanks to its abundant fish supply, a key part of their diet.

As he spoke, Latsch opened his wings, showing off their six-foot expanse and giving me a sense for the power of eagles in flight. “Eagles can dive up to 100 miles per hour,” Masak said. “They spot their prey from high above, tuck their wings close to their body, and dive. Just before impact they stick out their talons and swoop low over the water. If they’re lucky, their timing is just right and they get a fish.”

I was glad Latsch had found a safe home at the National Eagle Center — and even more grateful that our national bird, once on the brink of extinction, now thrives across much of the United States.