58 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



CBC is questioned, primarily because of the date and because the only ac- 

 companying notes were "all field marks were noted." 



Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) 

 Status: Regular migrant and winter resident. 



Migration: Rare migrant throughout the Valley becoming uncommon at 

 Crex Meadows, Burnett County, in the fall. Fall migration begins about 

 5 October; most records are from 10 October to 15 December (earliest rec- 

 ords-3 August 1976, 4 September 1974, and 15 September 1972; Crex 

 Meadows, Burnett County). Peak migration occurs 1 November to 1 De- 

 cember. Spring migration begins in mid-February with a gradual movement 

 through the Valley. Peak migration occurs 1-15 March and departure by 

 1 April (latest— 2 May 1975; Crex Meadows, Burnett County). 



Winter: Very rare and local winter resident throughout the Valley. Usually 

 the largest numbers are observed at Crex Meadows, Burnett County, where 

 up to four individuals occur throughout the winter. 



Habitat: At Crex Meadows, golden eagles are usually associated with the 

 large areas of restored native prairie on the refuge portion of the wildlife 

 area. Elsewhere in the Valley, wintering birds primarily use open agricul- 

 tural fields. 



Bald Eagle {Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 



Status: Regular migrant, nesting species, and winter resident. This species 

 is Usted as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The WDNR has 

 Usted this species as endangered (Les 1979). Pesticides, nest-site destruc- 

 tion, and indiscriminate shooting are the main reasons for their decline. 



Migration: Uncommon migrant throughout the Valley, fairly common at 

 Crex Meadows, Burnett County. Spring migration begins in mid-February 

 with a gradual movement from wintering areas along the lower St. Croix 

 River. Peak spring migration occurs 10-25 March; most adults are on breed- 

 ing territories by 1 April. Spring migration extends into early May; sub- 

 adults arrive considerably later than adults. 



Fall migration begins in late August, when juveniles move away from 

 nesting areas. Peak fall migration occurs in two stages. Subadults reach 

 peak numbers 1 October to 1 November and adults peak 15 October to 1 De- 

 cember. Most birds have departed by 15 December. Largest concentrations 

 of migrants occur at Crex Meadows, Burnett County, and in areas directly 

 adjacent to the St. Croix River. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Rare nesting species throughout the Valley; 

 nesting has been reported in Chisago, Burnett, Douglas, Pine, Pierce, and 

 Polk counties. The Pierce County nesting pair was associated with the lower 

 Kinnickinnic River. The pair abandoned their territory after a June 1973 

 storm destroyed the nest tree. Breeding populations in the St. Croix River 

 Valley have been monitored continuously since the mid- 1 960 's, and there is 

 recent evidence that the population may be increasing. 



