News Release

Bald Eagle Nesting Areas Reopened for 2019 in Voyageurs National Park

Date: July 31, 2019
Contact: Tawnya Schoewe, [phone]
Contact: Steve Windels, [phone]

International Falls, MN: All of the park's 291 developed visitor use camping and houseboat sites that were affected by temporary closures in April and May to protect bald eagle nesting pairs are now reopened for public use. 

Specifically, the following areas affected by the temporary closures have now reopened:

Kabetogama Lake—Happy Landing Campsite (K-11) and Yoder Island Houseboat Site (K-37)

Natural resource managers in Voyageurs follow the conservation management actions of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Management Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c, 1940 as amended). Each year since 1992, the park has temporarily closed the land and water areas around active bald eagle nests to visitor use during their critical nesting periods. 

Voyageurs National Park completed its 47th annual bald eagle productivity survey in late July. Within the boundaries of the park, 88 nests were surveyed, of which 27 were occupied by breeding eagles that hatched at least 1 chick. These nests produced at least 31 eagle chicks that survived to fledging.

Recent published research conducted by Voyageurs National Park service staff in collaboration with scientists from the University of Wisconsin and the U.S. Gological Survey demonstrated that the recovery of bald eagles in Voyageurs National Park has resulted in declines in other bird species—specifically osprey and great blue herons. More information on the study can be found at https://wildlife.org/bald-eagle-recovery-hinders-osprey-heron-populations/.