Golden eagles soar across the Straits - Michigan Sea Grant Michigan Department of Natural Resources offers tips for spotting bald eagles and golden eagles.

Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension - March 22, 2019.

The golden eagle is a magnificent bird.One of the largest birds of prey in the world is the golden eagle.

Golden eagles have brown bodies, heads and tails, with bright golden necks and backs.There are large white spots on the underside of the wing of young birds.A diverse hunter uses a variety of hunting methods.It has been known to use its size to complete feats such as knocking young mountain goats or bighorn sheep off mountain cliffs and then being eaten as prey.Smaller mammals such as rabbits, hares, ground squirrels and prairie dogs are golden eagles primary prey.The golden eagle lives in a wide variety of habitats, including Asia, Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East and Central America.

In the U.S. and Canada, the golden eagle is usually found in the western part of the country, from New Mexico and Arizona all the way up into the northern portion of Alaska.There are small numbers of golden eagles in the eastern part of the US in winter and early spring.Many assumed that the eastern birds were vagrants because they were lost in the western part of the state.

Many ornithologists began to suspect there was a migratory population of golden eagles in eastern North America as year after year turned up consistent, albeit low, numbers in the eastern US.The breeding territories for golden eagles in northern Ontario and Quebec were documented in the 1990s by a number of studies.

The Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group was established in 2010 to increase the understanding of this unique subpopulation of golden eagles.Scientists and resource managers from a large number of government entities and research institutions are in the group.Their knowledge is helping us understand the subpopulation.

Mackinaw City, Mich., is one of the best places to view golden eagles in the Midwest.Presentations and field trips are offered at the festival to highlight the raptor migration in the area.

There are many presentations and field trips to choose from at the festival.The Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group will be holding their annual meeting there this year as many of the speakers will talk about golden eagles.David Cuthrell will speak about the work of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory and their work related to documenting raptors across the state of Michigan.Nelson will lead a field trip to view snowy owls in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

The opportunity to join hawk counters from the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch program as they observe and count migrating raptors is a highlight of the festival.Many birds of prey are preparing to cross the open water of the Straits of Mackinac.The golden eagles have been counted by the raptor watch program.Golden eagles migrate in March and April.

There is a chance to view a rare eastern golden eagle and learn more about the raptors of Michigan.

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan's coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach.The Michigan Sea Grant is a collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.

The article was prepared by an Extension Educator at the University of Michigan and received an award from the U.S. Department of Commerce.The author's statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations do not reflect the views of the Department of Commerce or the University of Michigan.