There are few sights more majestic than that of a bald eagle soaring effortlessly on outstretched wings. This national symbol of the United States was once nearly extinct. The bald eagle was a victim of human encroachment, habitat destruction, and intentional destruction. In the 1950s and 1960s, the bald eagle population reached its lowest all-time level of only 3,000 nesting pairs in the entire lower 48 states, prompting the bald eagle to be declared an endangered species in 1978. By this time, the primary cause of declining bald eagle numbers was the use of the pesticide DDT. DDT would run off from its intended areas during rainfall and enter the river and streams, where it would contaminate the fish, the primary food of the bald eagle. DDT causes the eggshells of birds contaminated with it to become so thin that they were crushed when the mother sat on the eggs to incubate them. The banning of DDT in 1972 and the Eagle Protection Act of 1975, which made killing an eagle a felony, coupled with active reintroduction of eagle pairs to former nesting areas, has led to a rebound in eagle populations. Today the population is estimated at over 10,000 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states, prompting the upgrading of the bald eagle’s status from endangered to threatened.
Reintroduction of the bald eagle into Missouri by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Dickerson Park Zoo has led to a resurgence of the eagle population in the state. With its large number of lakes and rivers with open water that seldom freezes in winter, Missouri has become the number-one location in the nation for wintering bald eagles, with nearly 3,000 eagles wintering in the state each year.
A joint project of the Department of Conservation and Dickerson Park Zoo, Eagle Days has become an annual event designed to increase awareness of conservation efforts of the bald eagle and to give people an opportunity to see eagles both in the wild and up close in an indoor program. The indoor program consists of a discussion of the history of the efforts to restore the bald eagle population and a video showcasing these magnificent creatures. Dickerson Park Zoo then brings out Phoenix, a 16-year-old female bald eagle that was one of the first group of eaglets brought to Missouri for release into the wild in 1989. Phoenix had lost her ability to hunt after being raised by humans, so she was brought back to the zoo, where she serves as an ambassador for her species. There is a question-and-answer time, and there are numerous exhibits in the nature center showcasing characteristics and abilities of the bald eagle. Those attending can then drive to nearby Springfield Lake, where spotting scopes are set up to allow viewing of wild eagles.
Coloring books, pictures, and the opportunity to see an eagle up close in a safe environment make this a great kid-friendly way to spend an afternoon. The event is educational, fun, and free. Other Eagle Day weekends are held in other parts of the state throughout the winter.