1993 Midwinter Survey of Bald and Golden Eagles in Nebraska

National Wildlife Federation: Bald and Golden Eagles. The 1993 survey was held January 1-15, and was coordinated and compiled by John Dinan, Nongame Bird Biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, who supplied the following information. Temperatures during the survey period ranged from approximately 5 to 30 0 F. There was snow cover statewide in varying amounts, but generally deeper in the eastern third of the state. Nearly all water habitats were frozen-over weeks before the survey period. The percent of open, flowing river channel was consistently low for most rivers. While the channelized portion of the Missouri River reported the lowest percentage of ice cover (10-25%), slush and flow ice was present along its entire length. During the survey period, 698 Bald Eagles were observed, including 139 along the Missouri River. This total is a 46% decrease from the 1992 record high count of 1292 Bald Eagles, but only a 2% decrease from the 1980-1993 average of 714 Bald Eagles. Compared with the 14-year average, Bald-Eagle use of the Platte River Darr-Elm Creek area was down 64%, and use of the Republican River-Harlan County Reservoir area was down 79%. Use of the South Platte, North Platte, and Platte Rivers-Sutherland Reservoir area was up 21%, while use of the North Platte River-Lake McConaughy area was up 224%