A captive eagle show by Dickerson Park Zoo staff. Photo courtesy Bill Graham, Missouri Department of Conservation.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - As waterfowl migrate south on winter winds, stopping to rest on open water, bald eagles follow.
The migration will be featured Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7 and Dec. 8, at the 41st annual Eagle Days at the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City.
According to a press release from the Missouri Department of Conservation, the wetlands at Loess Bluffs attract thousands of waterfowl and dozens of eagles to Holt County. This event is hosted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and volunteers.
Visitors to the free Eagle Days event can see special displays and a captive eagle show by staff at from the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield. Wild eagles can also be spotted along with waterfowl during a driving tour through the refuge. Special stations along the route will be staffed with refuge staff and volunteers offering information about wetland ecology and helping visitors spot wildlife.
Eagle Days will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 7, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 8. Live eagle programs at the headquarters complex will begin every hour, on the hour, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7, and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 8. Shuttle bus parking is available near the Garden Inn located off Interstate 29 at exit 79. The refuge is reached by turning west on U.S. 159 at that exit.
For more information about Eagle Days at Loess Bluffs, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZP3. To learn about eagle watching and other Eagle Days throughout Missouri, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZG7.