Celebrating bald eagles

Sunday, January 25, 2004
Jim Cosgrove of the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, and an American Bald Eagle named Phoenix, watch as zoo representative Danita Rafferty explains the features of eagles' eyes to a group of students during the Missouri Department of Conservation's Eagle Days Friday afternoon. Eagle's eyesight is five to six times as sharp as human eyesight , and a protective membrane keeps the birds' eyes from drying out during flight and from damage when the birds dive into water seeking prey.

About 80 pairs of eyes widened as the majestic creature flapped her wings in a classroom at Schell Osage Wildlife Area Friday afternoon.

They eyes belonged to school children from the Butler school district and from El Dorado Springs Christian School. The wings belonged to Phoenix, a 15-year-old American Bald Eagle, visiting Schell Osage for the day from Dickenson Park Zoo as part of the Missouri Department of Conservation's Eagle Days.

Ken Davis of the Missouri Department of Conservation said this is the 20th year the department has hosted the event, a special opportunity for viewing and learning about eagles in Missouri. But this is the first time since 1997 that Schell Osage has been one of the participating sites.

El Dorado Springs Christian School teacher Jeff Patton helps a student with grip meter that enables students to compare their own grip strength with that of eagles. Eagles' talons have a grip strength of about 2,000 pounds per inch.

"The wildlife area is 8,633 acres. Our main function is to provide waterfowl habitat. Well, the same things that attract the waterfowl also attract the eagles," Davis said.

The eagles prefer to dine on fish, such as shad, but also prey on wounded geese or feast on carrion, literally found lying around.

Once common throughout the U.S., bald eagles became endangered, nearly disappearing during the first half of the 20th century due to the pesticide DDT and indiscriminate hunting of the animals. So, from 1981 to 1990, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Dickerson Park Zoo released 74 eglets in Missouri. These eglets were raised in artificial nests constructed for them at two locations; Schell Osage Wildlife Area and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Missouri. The hope was that if the eagles grew up in the area, they would return as adults and nest in Missouri. Since then, the eagle population has increased, until now, more than 2,600 eagles spent the winter months in Missouri.

But not every attempt to release the creatures into the new habitat was successful. Fifteen years ago, Phoenix -- the bird displayed for the students on Friday -- was one of those young eagles released at Schell Osage. Three days later, conservationists noticed that a tracking device attached to Phoenix was showing no movements. She was found lying on the ground, weak from hunger.

Apparently, said Danita Rafferty of the Dickerson Park Zoo, Phoenix lacked the hunting instinct. Believing food would be provided, she apparently didn't seek her own food. Now Phoenix helps teach the public about her species, and will live out the remainder of her life at the zoo.

The students watched, amazed but politely quiet, as Phoenix sat regally on her perch -- until an equally impressive but less-than- appealing moment. Phoenix relieved herself, without warning, on the floor beneath her, and 80 children writhed uncomfortably in their chairs; 80 faces contorted into sour expressions, and at least half that many voices said, "Ewwww!"

Phoenix simply smoothed her feathers and ignored the crowd's reaction.

Although many students would say seeing Phoenix up-close was the highlight of the day, students also toured the conservation area to catch a glimpse now and then of the eagles, but Davis said the best viewing is in colder weather.

The warm, windy weather on Friday meant the eagles moved about more often and were more difficult to view.

Students also received information about eagles and other raptors of Missouri, and tried their hand at several interactive exhibits set up in the conservation area headquarters during their visit.

Throughout the day, more than 450 students, from Northeast Vernon County, Rich Hill, Zion Lutheran of Germantown, Youth Development Center, Roscoe, Appleton City, Montrose, Butler, El Dorado Springs Christian School, the Walker Mennonite school and Lowry City schools participated in Eagle Days.

The event continued on Saturday, when the general public was invited to experience similar eagle viewing and educational activities.

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