Bald eagle sightings on the rise in Manitoba

Gabriola Island eagle cam an international hit Two eagles with an egg in their nest are the stars of an online video set up on Gabriola Island, B.C., that's being enjoyed worldwide.

If Manitobans keep an eye on the sky, they may notice one of the biggest birds of prey flying around the province and there is a chance these encounters might become more common.

Like most migratory birds, bald eagles are coming north as winter has come to end and warmer temperatures start.

Barret Miller with Fort Whyte Alive said more and more bald eagles are surviving after society changed the use of pesticides, which dramatically impacted the birds' population.

"We've largely wised up to that and there are just more eagles around period these days," said Miller.

The province and Miller said this is peak bald eagle season.

"Bald eagles migrate in large numbers through certain migratory corridors, most famously in Manitoba along the Pembina Valley where up to 300 eagles have been counted on a single day at the Windygates Hawk Watch," said a provincial spokesperson.

Miller noted bald eagles are at the top of their food chain and the fact that Manitobans are seeing more eagles is a very good thing.

"Seeing an eagle means you are seeing a whole successful ecosystem underneath that eagle. Not just underneath them because they are in the sky…. That's an ecosystem that goes all the way down to healthy plants, a good rodent population," said Miller.

He said if people want to continue to see these magnificent birds, they have to do their part to ensure the entire ecosystem continues to stay healthy.

"Anything that we can do to keep our wild spaces wild and clean, that's going to help," he said, adding focusing on a variety of initiatives from reducing waste to improving our atmosphere.

For those who are looking to spot bald eagles in the wild, Miller said the birds can be seen nesting in downtown Winnipeg and along waterways all the way through the prairies.

However, he notes the best place to go is an open body of water, and people should look south. If there are birds that are spiralling up in the air before gliding Miller said that is a bird of prey and there is a good chance it is a bald eagle, noting a good characteristic of a bald eagle is minimal flapping of their wings while gliding.

He also said the iconic white head of the birds only develops once they are three years old and before that, they will just have white spots on their feathers.

If people stumble upon a bald eagle nest, he says that is information people should keep to themselves.

"If you find an eagle nest, that's great. Don't share that information too widely,” Miller said.” “They're cagey, somewhat nervous parents and too much attention will make them leave their nests they do have. They might not actually hatch their eggs or they might actually abandon their little eaglets."

Miller said to count yourself lucky you found such an impressive nest and leave the area be.