As population soars, here’s where you can spot bald eagles
If you’re excited and inspired by the sight of a bald eagle soaring majestically above, then your Super Bowl has arrived.
The bald eagle population in northern Illinois is surging this winter, and special events are on tap the next two weekends providing eagle watchers abundant opportunities to see them in action.
“We are definitely seeing more bald eagles year-round in our region than we did in the past,” said Cindy Skrukrud, a founding member of Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge. “Winter brings more eagles to our area as they move south from frozen areas north of us.”
Hackmatack covers roughly 11,200 acres in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin and provides habitat for 109 threatened or endangered species, including 49 species of birds.
“A tip for seeing eagles in the winter is to find open water on a river or lake. They will congregate to fish and hunt waterfowl there,” Skrukrud said.
Eagles have inspired people for ages and often appear as symbols of power. The United States adopted the bald eagle as the national symbol in 1782. A bill adopting it as the official bird of the U.S. was signed into law on Christmas Eve last year.
Exclusive to North America, the bald eagle’s wingspan can range from 5 ⅟₂ to 8 feet. They can grow to 40 inches in length and weigh up to 12 pounds.
Although Illinois has only 30 to 40 pairs of bald eagles that make the state their full-time home, according to the University of Illinois’ Biological Surveys and Assessment Program, the population surges to more than 3,100 eagles during winter. That’s when cold weather up north forces eagles to travel south in search of open water to hunt.
Here’s where and how you can spot bald eagles over the next week:
‘Eagle Watch Weekend’
Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby hosts its two-day, family-friendly “Eagle Watch Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday.
Throughout the weekend, Starved Rock Audubon Society members will have viewing scopes at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, located at Starved Rock Lock and Dam, 950 N. 27th Road in Ottawa. Audubon Society members will be available to answer Bald Eagle questions.
The Starved Rock State Park Visitor Center and Starved Rock Lodge will host additional activities, including live bird of prey programs, photo sessions with Sadie, the park’s eagle mascot, guided winter hikes and children’s craft and story times.
Admission is free.
‘In Search of Eagles’
The “In Search of Eagles” program will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Algonquin Dam, the Fox River Shores Forest Preserve in Carpentersville and the McHenry Dam, all along the Fox River. The event also happens at the Williams Bay Boat Launch on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.
Skrukrud said all four sites feature open water that has been attracting eagles this winter.
Visit hackmatacknwr.org/in-search-of-eagles-2025 to find maps to all four locations.
Scopes and binoculars will be available for use at each location, along with guided activities for children.
No registration is required. If you have any concerns about the weather on the day of the program, call the Friends of Hackmatack at (262) 448-3558 for a message regarding the status of the event.