tana Bald Eagle Working Group 1994). Man- 

 agement direction involves identifying and 

 protecting nesting, feeding, perching, roosting, 

 and wintering /migrating areas (U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service 1986; Montana Bald Eagle 

 Working Group 1994). 



The eagle nest nearest the project area is on 

 private land at the northern end of Whitefish 

 Lake. A site-specific management plan has 

 not been completed for this nest, but a prelimi- 

 nary report was written in 1991. This plan 

 (Paige 1991) identified much of the Beaver 

 Lake Project area as being within this eagle 

 pairs' home range, delineated by drawing a 2.5 

 mile radius circle around the nest {see Figure 

 111-8 - Bald Eagle Home Range Map). Having an 

 abundance of fish and waterfowl, the Beaver 

 Lake area may be used for foraging and 

 roosting. Food is probably 

 not a limiting factor at this 

 nest because of the abundance 

 of fish and waterfowl in 

 Whitefish Lake. Factors 

 limiting reproductive success 

 at this nest are thought to be 

 primarily related to human 

 disturbance. 



Management guidelines 

 (Montana Bald Eagle Working 

 Group 1994) within the home 

 range are as follows: 



• Human activities, includ- 

 ing permanent develop- 

 ments, should be designed 



/ and regulated to minimize 

 disturbance and avoid 

 conflicts with bald eagle 

 key-use areas. 



• Human activity should 

 not reach a level where 

 cumulative effects de- 

 crease habitat suitability. 



• Habitat alterations should be designed to 

 ensure that prey base and important 

 habitat components, such as perch trees or 

 screening vegetation, are maintained or 

 enhanced. 



• Pesticides should not be used in a manner 

 that pose a hazard to bald eagles. 



• Structures that pose a hazard should be 

 located and designed to minimize or avoid 

 risks to bald eagles or their prey. 



FIGURE III-8 - BALD EAGLE HOME RANGE MAP 



Bald Eagle Home Range 



Hwy. 93 

 Existing Roade 



Stillwater State Forest Boundary 

 Shaded Area is Within 2.5 Miles 

 of Bald Eagle Nest 



^ffl-16- 



■ Stillwater State Forest • Beaver Lake Timber Sale Project 



