Photo: Raptor Resource Project
(Decorah, IA) -- The Raptor Resource Project is announcing the first eagle egg of the season. The organization announced the arrival today at 3:17 p.m.
The Raptor Resource Project says eagles begin courtship in October, egg-laying is typically in mid to late February. Hatching usually begins in late March to early April, and the eaglets fledge in mid-to-late June.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has reported record numbers of eagles this year in Iowa, especially along the Mississippi, Iowa, and Des Moines Rivers. The DNR says more than 5,000 eagles were spotted in this year's winter bird count. Biologists say the higher than normal numbers may have to do with more open water in Iowa, compared to Minnesota and Wisconsin, two states which typically have larger numbers of eagles than Iowa.