Golden Eagles in Eastern North America

     The majestic golden eagles live in forested mountains and other wilderness habitats throughout the northern hemisphere, including here in eastern North America.  But because the eastern United States is so developed, most golden eagles in eastern North America raise young in the forests of eastern Canada, and in northern Maine in the United States.  And, although this stately type of raptor is tough and can tolerate cold weather, they still need abundant food in winter like any other kind of bird.  So many golden eagles leave their breeding territories in eastern Canada and migrate south, mostly along the southwest-running Appalachian Mountains, to wintering grounds in the more rural sections of New York State, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.     
      Golden eagle autumn migrations mostly occur from the middle of October to mid-December, with a peak of moving south during the bulk of November.  Goldens generally move on brisk northwest or north winds that are forced up the Appalachians, pushing the big, magnificent eagles up with them for easy traveling with little effort expended on the birds' parts.   
     Although migrating goldens are spotted most anywhere along their migration routes in the Middle Atlantic States in fall, they are seen in biggest numbers at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary on wooded mountains in northern Berks County and Waggoners' Gap, a wooded mountain off Route 74 on the border of Perry and Cumberland Counties. 
     Both those look outs are on the famous Blue Ridge Mountains of southeastern Pennsylvania so they both host many of the same eagles each autumn.  But Waggoner's Gap usually sees more migrant golden eagles in a fall than Hawk Mountain.  Waggoners' Gap averages about 235 goldens each fall.  And it saw 275 goldens migrate by in 2006.  Those numbers are a fair indication of how many of those stately eagles live in eastern North America.  And I'm sure not all migrant goldens move along the Blue Ridge, which tells us there must be more than 275 of them in eastern North America.    
     Golden eagles are adapting to less than wilderness conditions to winter in.  Some have wintered in developed Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and Maryland's heavily populated Eastern Shore between the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.  But many goldens winter in Pennsylvania's and West Virginia's remote and wild wooded valleys where they scavenge dead white-tailed deer and other animals, as well as catch cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, gray squirrels and red and gray foxes.  They catch many of those same animals in warmer months, and wood chucks and other critters that are available.
     Golden eagles are big and majestic, and wilderness birds for the most part.  But they are slowly adapting to less than wild habitats, which may help them increase their numbers because of more places to nest and a lower death rate in winter when getting enough food is tough.  Watch for these magnificent birds.  They are thrilling and inspiring whenever and wherever found.  And, fortunately, they are protected by law.