From Long Island Sound and up the Housatonic River, now is a great time of year to spot bald eagles in Connecticut. At Shepaug Eagle Observatory in Southbury, birders have spotted more than 40 of the raptors so far this viewing season.
Some bald eagles call Connecticut home all year long, but others visit for the winter, looking for open water to fish.
Shepaug is owned and operated by FirstLight, the company that manages the dams along the Housatonic River. Site manager Lucy Walker said it holds a special appeal to wintering bald eagles.
“And what attracts eagles to this place is when we produce electricity, it creates the water moving — makes the water move, keeps the ice from forming," Walker said. "So, there’s always going to be access to open water. That access to fish is what the bald eagles are looking for.”
Since winter is not breeding season for the eagles, the birds haven’t yet established territory. Walker said that’s why seeing multiple in a day is not uncommon.
“Two years ago, we had our highest count ever, 32 eagles. It was a great day! The last two years have been warm years, and last year, we had a high count of 17.”
Walker said it shows how much of an improvement the population has made. Just a few decades ago, the birds were practically nonexistent in the state thanks to pesticides in the water supply. As of 2023, Connecticut had 86 breeding pairs.
“There are bald eagle nests probably in every single county in the state, which is great. It’s a great number. It’s a great success story. They’re adapting. People are starting to see them everywhere!”
Bald eagles are pretty easy to spot in the sky. If you can't make out that bright white head, Walker says there are other notable characteristics to look for, like their size. Bald eagles have a wingspan between six and eight feet. Because of their large size, they glide through the air rather than flap their wings. There is also the wing shape — more straight across when spread out compared to a turkey vulture, which has more of a "v" shape.
Connecticut's wintering bald eagles will stick around until early March.
