DOAS and Golden Eagles

Golden Eagles and Wind Turbines

The Franklin Mountain Hawk Watch has become "the" place to see goldens in New York. If you've visited the watch on a good day, you've seen goldens flying 200 feet off the ground, using the updraft from the ridge to glide its length. This migratory behavior, where birds concentrate along ridges, is typical of Golden Eagles. Unfortunately, it puts the birds in the very same space that developers target for siting their wind power projects.

The DOAS Board understands the threats posed by the burning of fossil fuels. We support properly sited wind projects. However, we have grown concerned about impacts to birds and bats. As many as 60,000 wind turbines will be required to reach national energy goals. Many will be built along the ridges of New York and Pennsylvania. Some of those ridges, like Franklin Mountain, will attract raptors.

As a species, the Golden Eagle is especially vulnerable to wind turbines. It has been called the species which "appears to be at the highest risk". Knowing that during the fall migration more eastern goldens pass our hawkwatch than any other this far north, we feel a special responsibility to protect "our" birds. This isn't easy since away from our site almost nothing is known about how and where they migrate and forage in New York. To learn more about this NYS Endangered Species so they can be protected, we have joined with scientists studying Golden Eagles in Pennsylvania to expand their ongoing study of winter ranges and migration routes in New York.

Spring Migration Surveys

Using a wealth of data on the locations and movements of Golden Eagles that were trapped and fitted with transmitters, and the help of Dr. Katzner and GIS expert Trish Miller, we have identified areas in New York to target for spring eagle counts. (Note: DOAS supporters contributed to the cost of one of the GPS transmitters for this research.)

We began successfully collecting spring migration data in southern Delaware County in early March 2009 (see report at right). During spring 2010, counting will be done on ridges in eastern Otsego County. Data for all spring sites can be found at hawkcount.org. Until a report on the spring 2010 effort is prepared, find count data at All Road, Davis State Park and Fish Road.

All data gathered from these NY State surveys is available for use by other researchers and in the larger project's migration modeling. This information will help identify where eagles concentrate so threats in those areas can be addressed.

Wintering Eagles

During January and February 2010, we used baited wildlife cameras to locate winter-resident Golden Eagles. Within a week of placing bait, at least three Golden Eagles showed up at two of three chosen sites. Two adults and a juvenile Bald Eagle spent time at one of the sites. Other photographed scavengers include multiple Common Ravens, as many as 45 ravens at one site, multiple Red-tailed Hawks at every site, Rough-legged Hawks, American Crows, coyotes, a bobcat, a red fox and a skunk. The motion-activated digital cameras, also known as game or trail cameras, were stationed on three ridges in Delaware and Otsego Counties. Road-killed deer were used as bait; deer that had been euthanized were not used if there were any concerns about lead poisoning of the scavengers. We hope to repeat this effort next winter at different locations. We will be presenting a program in early 2011 explaining the results and showing the best of our photographs from these camera traps. (See some representative photos.)

We express our appreciation to all who have helped with this effort to protect Golden Eagles. If you would like to support this research, donations are always welcome to broaden the scope of these studies in New York State.

Last updated March 4, 2010

Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society and Golden Eagle Research