Press Releases

• June 2, 2005
• May 22, 2006
• May 25, 2006
• July 18, 2006
• April 13, 2007
• April 3, 2008

Want to know more about the chick and parents?

• Check out our online discussion board to post your questions, comments and experiences! IWS members keep discussion board members up-to-date about eagle happenings on all the islands.
• Also read our Eagle FAQ page updated by Annie Little a Fish and Wildlife Biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (updated April 11, 2008)
• Current Press Release -- April 3, 2008
• More about the all the eagles -- Wingmarker Table

New -- Gallery of Eagles: Updated June 20, 2008
Have you seen any of the Channel Islands birds flying in your neighborhood? If so, send in your picture to be added to the gallery.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were historically found on all  the Channel Islands and were present on the islands until the mid-1950's - early 1960's. However, due to human pressures and DDT pollution the last known bald eagle nest was seen on the northern Channel Islands in 1949.

In 2002, the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program funded the Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS) to begin a five-year feasibility study to determine if bald eagles could be successfully restored on the northern Channel Islands given the difficulties experienced breeding farther south on Santa Catalina Island.

Eaglets hatched at the Avian Conservation Center at the San Francisco Zoo or collected from wild nests in Alaska have been taken to Santa Cruz Island and placed in hacking towers when they are about 8 weeks old. The eaglets are generally ready to fledge at about 12 weeks.

Since 2002, 61 bald eagles have been hacked on the northern Channel Islands with approximately 25 still living on the islands. (Anacapa, Santa Cruz , Santa Rosa , and San Miguel).

Read more about the Bald Eagle Restoration Program (*pdf)

This bald eagle reintroduction study is part the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program (MSRP), a multi-agency program dedicated to restoring natural resources harmed by DDTs and PCBs released into the environment by Montrose Chemical Corporation and other industrial sources in Southern California in the mid 20th
century.

MSRP is overseen by representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, California Department of Fish and Game, California State Lands Commission, and California Department of Parks and Recreation.

Read more abut the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program
For more information contact: Gabrielle Dorr at gabrielle.dorr@noaa.gov

Channel Islands National Park

Eagle Webcam Information

Archive Footage from 2006

• April 2006: http://mms.nps.gov/ram/pwr/2kwo2acw.wmv
• May 2006:http://mms.nps.gov/ram/pwr/b17s332t.wmv
• July 2006: http://mms.nps.gov/ram/pwr/t229itiv.wmv
• Southside chick's first flight: http://mms.nps.gov/ram/pwr/3m4v63t5.wmv

EagleCAM Highlights

Remember when...

Eagle Data: The parents of this historic chick are two eagles originally from Catalina Island who have made their home on Santa Cruz Island.

The male (K-10) was hatched on March 8, 2001 from and egg laid by captive bald eagles at the San Francisco zoo and fostered into a Catalina Island nest the same month. K-10 fledged (left the nest) late in May. The female (K-26) was hatched on March 22, 2002 (also laid by captive bald eagles), was fostered into a Catalina Island nest that same month and fledged in June. Both spent some time cruising around California and Oregon before finally settling down on Santa Cruz Island. Follow their journey

The pair were observed exhibiting breeding behavior in February of 2006 and their first chick was hatched on April 12, 2006. [Breeding Pair .pdf]