News Release

Bald Eagle Nesting Areas Reopened in Voyageurs National Park 2023

NPS

News Release Date: July 11, 2023

Contact: Tawnya Schoewe, [phone]

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN: Voyageurs National Park is reopening the breeding areas around three (3) of the park’s bald eagle nests to campers and other human activities. After recent aerial surveys, it was determined that the nesting efforts failed when no eaglets were detected. Of 50 nests surveyed in the park in April 2023, 23 were occupied by breeding eagles. Additional flights will be conducted in late July to determine how many nests produced fledged chicks.

The park follows the recommended conservation management actions of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Management Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c, 1940 as amended), a Federal law enacted to protect America’s national bird from disturbance and harassment. 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. Some eagle pairs nest in late March and early April and others may not initiate nesting until late April or early May.

Three (3) of the park’s 291 developed Day Use, Tent, and Houseboat sites were affected by the temporary closures. The reopened developed areas are:

Kabetogama Lake:

• Happy Landing Campsite (K-11)
• Camelback Island Campsite (K-3)

Namakan Lake:

• Junction Bay North Houseboat Site (N-50)

People play a very important role in protecting nesting eagles and other birds. Individual agles differ in temperament and tolerance to human and natural activities. Some are easily displaced by human/eagle interactions, whereas others are more accustomed to close interactions with humans.