Eagles benefit from Klamath Falls bridge replacement
Bald eagles have been listed as an endangered species in America since 1967. That safeguard has allowed them to thrive in the Pacific Northwest, where eagle populations have soared during the past 40 years.
Eagles, like many birds, migrate south in winter, and many come to Oregon from as far away as Alaska and Canada. Here they take advantage of the warmer climate and the abundant fish and small mammals that they hunt for food. In fact, the largest wintering population of bald eagles in the country spends the season near Klamath Falls.
As part of the OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program, ODOT needed to replace a bridge close to an existing eagle perch on a lake near Klamath Falls. In keeping with the agency's Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions initiative, which fosters environmental, scenic, and aesthetic values, among others, preservation of the perch was incorporated into the replacement plan for the bridge. This decision will help minimize disturbance to the eagles, and their prey during construction.
ODOT partnered with Klamath Wingwatchers, the City of Klamath Falls, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide an alternate perch. The groups decided to move the perch across the lake, away from construction noise that might disrupt the eagles’ hunting and breeding. Because the perch is a winter nest, they took advantage of the summer months to prepare the new location.
To hunt, eagles need a high perch with a wide, open view. The ODOT team trimmed back willow trees at the new site and cut back some existing vegetation to clear the view from the new location. They also left behind some tempting exposed branches from which the eagles could hunt. ODOT selected the new location because it was close to the water, an important consideration during the winter nesting months when the outer edges of the lake freeze and water fowl, a key eagle prey, move farther away from shore.
When the eagles return to Klamath Falls this winter, they will find a safe and quiet home.
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