LAWRENCE, Kan. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Clinton Lake and the Jayhawk Audubon Society invite you to the 16th Annual Kaw Valley Eagles Day in Lawrence, Kan., on January 21.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Free State High School and is geared towards outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Activities will include presentations with live eagles and other raptors, arts and crafts, field trips to view eagles in the wild, fun games, and many other exhibits. The event is free to the public.
A second Eagles Day celebration will be held the following weekend, January 28, at Perry American Legion from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event will also offer presentations with live eagles and a field trip to view eagles in the wild.
Bald eagles are found only in North America. In 1782, when the bald eagle was adopted as our national symbol, it is believed there were as many as 50,000 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. However, habitat destruction, contamination of their food source, and illegal shooting caused a significant reduction in the bald eagle population. By 1963, their numbers had decreased to only 417 nesting pairs. Protection efforts over the years have made an incredible improvement in bald eagle numbers. In 2011 there were more than 10,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states.
In 1989 the first successful bald eagle nest in Kansas was documented at Clinton Lake near Lawrence. In 2011, Clinton Lake boasted a total of four active nests. Since the first eagles moved in to Kansas, 100 documented eaglets have fledged from Clinton Lake. Statewide, there have been 60 known nesting territories since 1989 with 602 eaglets fledged.
The Kaw Valley and Perry Lake Eagles Days are your opportunities to see these fascinating birds up close and to learn more about them. For more information, contact the Clinton Lake Project Office at (785) 843-7665 or visit the Clinton Lake Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ClintonLakeUSACE.
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Release no. PA-2012-04