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Destination Eagle
The Bald Eagle was officially listed as an Endangered Species in Ontario in 1973. Through close work with the provincial and federal governments, landowners, and volunteers, Bird Studies Canada (BSC) has helped monitor the recovery of the eagle population in southern Ontario for many years. While the population has been slowly increasing over the past two decades, some evidence suggests that southern Ontario eagles may have shortened lifespans, which could be linked to the accumulation of lead and mercury in their bodies. In collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), BSC initiated a special project in 2004 to determine where these toxic chemicals are being acquired by migratory birds. This project uses state of the art satellite telemetry to track the movements and dispersal patterns of juvenile eagles hatched in southern Ontario for up to five years. To view a detailed outline of these procedures please click here.
Destination Eagle was launched in 2004 thanks to the generous support of Ontario Power Generation. The first three tagged eaglets, affectionately named Olivia, Pamela and Genna, provided invaluable data on juvenile movements and mortality rates. This information is being used by researchers at Bird Studies Canada (BSC) to identify possible sources of heavy metal poisoning. Olivia and Pamela made some very interesting movements in their first two years and revealed some important Bald Eagle stopover sites in the Great Lakes Basin, including Manitoulin Island, Lake St. Clair, and Sandusky Bay, Ohio. Pamela ventured further afield, spending time in the upper Mississippi River in Illinois. Genna died before leaving her natal area and we were therefore able to recover her transmitter and deploy it on another eaglet (Terawatt) in 2005.
During the 2005 field season of Destination Eagle, a total of seven 8-week old eaglets were banded, blood sampled, measured, and equipped with satellite transmitters. Most of the eaglets were from nests in southern Ontario, with the exception of two rehabilitated birds who were released in northern Ontario. The southern Ontario birds remained near to their natal areas for most of the year. Terawatt, originally from the Long Point Bay area, turned up near Midland, Michigan on the shores of Lake Huron, and Dominion spent a fair bit of time in the Long Point area.
In 2006, four young Bald Eagles from Southern Ontario were fitted with satellite transmitters. Unfortunately, Gwayah (short for Gwayahkooshkawin - which means ‘balance’ in the Ojibway language), an eaglet from the Detroit River, died in August despite extensive efforts by wildlife rehabilitators to save her life. The cause of death is still being investigated. The journeys of the remaining three eaglets - one from Detroit River (Phoenix) and two from the Thousand Islands region of eastern Ontario (Spirit and Phyllis), are currently being tracked on-line using Eagle Tracker (see below for more information).
Since 2004, Destination Eagle has tracked the journeys of 13 eaglets from the lower Great Lakes. Although these eaglets have travelled extensively and made some remarkable journeys, the majority of their time has been spent in the lower Great Lakes basin. To find out more about the tagged eagles from the first three years of the study scroll down to The Eaglets section. Unfortunately, some of the birds have spent a lot of time in areas that are classified as contaminated “hotspots.” We have also found that these young birds suffer from high mortality rates, as many do not survive beyond their first year of life.
Eagle Tracker
Designed by Bird Studies Canada staff, the Eagle Tracker enables us to use satellite telemetry to track the movements of tagged eagles anywhere in North America. The popularity of this feature has allowed us to implement a public outreach and education program which focuses on Destination Eagle. BSC has been visiting classrooms in southwestern Ontario and we are encouraging teachers to use “Eagle Tracker” as an educational tool to inform school children about Bald Eagles and their link to the health of the aquatic ecosystem and ultimately to human health.
To explore the Eagle Tracker mapping application choose different birds and time periods from the drop-down menus. The map tools allow you to zoom in and out, and to move around the map window. Finally the print function on the Eagle Tracker can also be used to print your own map. Just click the icon below and start exploring.
Gwayah (Eaglet #57647)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 3 June 2006
Sex: Male
Location: Detroit River Region
Weight: 8.5 lbs.
Major Sponsor: Detroit River Canadian CleanupComments: Gwayah – short for Gwayahkooshkawin, whose name means balance in Ojibway, and his sibling Trillium were in a nest found in a large Cottonwood Tree. The nest was particularly interesting because it contained some very interesting prey remains, including Pike, a Painted Turtle, a rabbit foot and an Eastern Screech Owl. Sadly Gwayah died in August, despite extensive efforts by rehabilitators to save his life.
Trillium (Eaglet #40305)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 3 June 2006
Sex: Male
Location: Detroit River Region
Weight: 7.6 lbs.
Major Sponsor: Ontario Trillium FoundationComments: A healthy and relatively small male, Trillium was the sibling of Gwayah. Unfortunately Trillium’s transmitter stopped transmitting in July shortly after he fledged. Despite some searching we received no indication to what may have happened to the bird. However on October 15th we unexpectedly started to receive signals from Trillium’s transmitter, and we were able to locate him along the southwestern shores of Lake Erie, quite close to where Phoenix has been spending time. Our hopes were high that the signal would last and although we received strong signals for a couple of weeks, the signals have since stopped. The last transmission was received on November 4, 2006.
Phoenix (Eaglet #66452)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 4 June 2006
Sex: Male
Location: Detroit River Region
Weight: 7.7 lbs.
Major Sponsor: Detroit River Canadian CleanupComments: One of two chicks banded at this site. The nest was perched in a Cottonwood Tree approximately 120 feet from the ground. Since being tagged, Phoenix has stayed near the mouth of the Detroit River, spending time on both sides of the border. Phoenix remains one of the most sedentary eagles that we have tagged thus far in the project.
Spirit (Eaglet #66454)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 15 June 2006
Sex: Female
Location: Thousand Islands Region
Weight: 11 lbs.
Major Sponsor: LCBOComments: Spirit and her sibling Phyllis were both equipped with satellite transmitters at this site. So far Spirit has travelled down the St. Lawrence River and had spent a fair bit of time near Lac-Ste-Pierre before heading south into the United States.
Phyllis (Eaglet #66453)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 15 June 2006
Sex: Female
Location: Thousand Islands Region
Weight: 11.5 lbs.
Major Sponsor: TD – Friends of the Environment Foundation, KingstonComments: Coming in at a whopping 11.5 pounds, Phyllis was the largest chick banded and tagged this season. Wasting no time whatsoever after she fledged, she said goodbye to her sibling Spirit and immediately headed north to the James Bay coast.
Tilson (Eaglet #57643)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 7 June 2005
Weather conditions: sunny, 20 C
Sex: Female, sister of Terawatt
Location: Southern Ontario, Long Point Bay area
Weight: 4.76 kg (10.5 lbs)
Major Sponsor: TD-Friends of the Environment Fund, Tillsonburg/Delhi ChapterComments: From a family of triplets, Tilson was the second largest sibling. Sharing the nest with Tilson was a brother (not satellite tagged) and a sister (Terawatt). The adult pair has been using this nest for the last 4 years and has produced triplets two years in a row! Unfortunately, Tilson’s transmitter is no longer sending as many signals as the others and we are unable to consistently post her movements. However, we have been able to spot her while near the natal area, and she looks to be flying and acting in a normal fashion. We suspect that through play fighting with her siblings, damage has been caused to her transmitter and it is therefore not functioning properly.
Terawatt (Eaglet #57644)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 7 June 2005
Weather conditions: sunny, 20 C
Sex: Female, sister of Tilson
Location: Southern Ontario, Long Point Bay area
Weight: 4.89 kg (10.8 lbs)
Major Sponsor: Ontario Power Generation (OPG)Comments: Terawatt, sibling of Tilson was the most docile of the group. Her younger brother (not satellite tagged) was much feistier. The family of birds remained in the area until the first week of August when all began to disperse further from the nest. Since fledging, Terawatt has been observed taking part in playful aerial fights with her siblings and has spent a considerable amount of time near her natal area.
Ranger (Eaglet #57645)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 8 June 2005
Weather conditions: sunny, 24 C
Sex: likely male
Location: Southern Ontario, Elgin area
Weight: 3.62 kg (8.0 lbs)
Major Sponsor: Wild Birds UnlimitedComments: Ranger had no brother or sisters to share the nest with. The pair, who has been very productive in past years, only raised a single young this year. Ranger was very feisty in hand and did not calm down once it took to flight only 3 weeks after being fitted with a transmitter. The young bird has been observed perching on hay bails, and gregariously feeding and fighting with 4 other juvenile eagles on the north shore of Lake Erie. Unfortunately, his satellite transmitter has faced a similar fate as Tilson’s. Satellite transmissions ceased just after 10 July and we were able to use radio telemetry to follow Ranger until he moved just after 19 August 2005.
Dominion (Eaglet #57646)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 9 June 2005
Weather conditions: sunny, 28 C (in direct sun most of the day)
Sex: likely male
Location: Southern Ontario, London area
Weight: 3.80 kg (8.4 lbs)
Major Sponsor: TD-Friends of the Environment Fund, London ChapterComments: Dominion was one of the most brazen chicks handled this year. This young eaglet jumped from its nest and glided into a large field, where researchers were able to apprehend the young jumper! Prey remains were not found in the nest but the young bird appeared to be very well fed and healthy. The adult pair caring for this eaglet was visible at all times while researchers worked with the young eaglet. The pair set up their large nest in a lone sycamore tree standing in a cow pasture.
Regal (Eaglet #57648)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 25 June 2005
Weather conditions: sunny, 24 C
Sex: female
Location: Thousand Islands Area
Weight: 4.58 kg (10.1 lbs)
Major Sponsors: B. Andress, Anonymous, B. & L. Buckwald, J. Burney, Kingston Field Naturalists, G. McBride, J. Medcalf, D. Rawlinson, St. Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada, K. & J. Stewart, Thousand Islands Association (TIA)Comments: Regal is one of three chicks from our only active Lake Ontario Bald Eagle nest. She was the only chick in the nest that did not fly when tree climber and Bald Eagle expert Peter Nye approached. Her siblings flew in opposite directions, and were later relocated. Regal, the one eaglet left behind, tolerated being banded and fitted with a transmitter very well and she comfortably posed for pictures while researchers noted prey remains near the nest site. Only a few unknown fish bones were found. However, the chick had a relatively full crop and was likely eating well.
Bonnie (Eaglet #59076)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 1 June 2005
Weather conditions: Cloudy, 17 C
Sex: female
Location: Kapuskasing Area
Weight: no weight taken
Major Sponsors: Ministry of Natural Resources (Kapuskasing), TD-Friends of the Environment Fund (Kapuskasing Chapter), Caisse Populaire de Kapuskasing, North Claybelt Community Futures, Tim Hortons, R. Spencer, and J. Rioux.Comments: Bonnie and Clyde have a very special story; please click here to read about their inclusion in this program.
Clyde (Eaglet #59077)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 1 June 2005
Weather conditions: Cloudy, 17 C
Sex: likely male
Location: Kapuskasing Area Weight: 3.85 kg (10.1 lbs)
Major Sponsors: Ministry of Natural Resources (Kapuskasing), TD-Friends of the Environment Fund (Kapuskasing Chapter), Caisse Populaire de Kapuskasing, North Claybelt Community Futures, Tim Hortons, R. Spencer, and J. Rioux.Comments: Bonnie and Clyde have a very special story; please click here to read about their inclusion in this program.
Pamela (Eaglet #40303)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 5 June 2004
Weather conditions: sunny, 17C
Location: Southern Ontario, Long Point Bay area
Sex: Female
Weight: 4.58 kg (10.1 lbs)
Last Contact with PTT: December 2004, east of Bloomington (Illinois), status unknownComments: Pamela was one of a family of three eaglets nesting 77 ft from the ground in a black maple tree. She was very calm while we were handling her and appeared to be very robust and healthy. Pamela was the first bird removed from the nest and the first eaglet to be equipped with a satellite transmitter (#40303). The pair has been nesting in this tree for 3 years, and has produced at least 2 young per year.
Olivia (Eaglet #40304)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 5 June 2004
Weather conditions: sunny, 17C
Location: Southern Ontario, Long Point Bay area
Sex: Female
Weight: 4.26 kg (9.4 lbs)Comments: Sister of Pamela. Olivia was quite feisty while we were handling her. She was the second bird removed from the nest and the second to be equipped with a satellite transmitter (#40304). The third sibling of Pamela and Olivia, a female (61 days) did not receive a satellite transmitter, but was banded with an alphanumeric leg band and an aluminium federal band.
Genna (Eaglet #40305)
Date bird was fitted with transmitter: 15 June 2004
Weather conditions: sunny, 24 C
Sex: Female
Location: Southern Ontario, Long Point Bay area
Weight: 4.89 kg (10.8 lbs)
Last Contact with PTT: September 2004, Long Point (Ontario), status deceasedComments: Also from a family of triplets, Genna was the largest and most robust bird handled all season. Sharing the nest with Genna was a brother (58 days old) and a sister (54 days old). Unique to this nest were the prey contents found in the nest, which included several map and painted turtle shells. The nest was in a white pine tree and was 70 ft from the ground. The actual tree is 80 ft tall and has been used by the adult pair since 1993.
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