Outdoors Notebook: Minnesota DNR celebrates EagleCam's first decade
Feb. 6—ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 10 years of the EagleCam, a popular annual livestream of a bald eagle nest in Minnesota.
The first season of the DNR EagleCam began in January 2013, after the Nongame Wildlife Program installed a webcam in a tree next to an active bald eagle nest. The livestream has grown in popularity since then and now has thousands of followers watching from homes, workplaces, classrooms, waiting rooms and care facilities in all 50 states and at least 150 countries.
Fifteen chicks have successfully fledged from this nest in the last decade, the DNR said. Even before the camera was installed, DNR staff working in the area had discovered the nest, and biologists have monitored the mating pairs in it since 2003.
Currently, the breeding female is rebuilding the nest with a new mate. Her previous mate went missing last year, and the new male showed up over the summer. This female has been at the nest for three years and, with her mates, has laid seven eggs and raised five chicks to fledging.
The EagleCam goes live in November each year to show the daily repairs and upgrades the eagles make to their nest. The pair remains active at the nest each day and normally by mid-February have laid two or three eggs, which the adults incubate for about 35 days. Both adults incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.
Once the chicks hatch, the camera zooms in closely to watch the delicate process of raising bald eagle chicks. Tune in to learn about eagles and the Nongame Wildlife Program, and to celebrate 10 years of the
DNR EagleCam
at mndnr.gov/eaglecam. — Herald staff report
ST. PAUL — Animal-loving Minnesotans who leave corn for hungry pheasants at this time of year could be doing more harm than good, DNR wildlife experts say.
DNR wildlife managers in pheasant country have seen corn spread along roadsides, likely to help ringneck pheasants survive a difficult Minnesota winter.
"We are getting more reports of pheasants along roadsides," said Wendy Krueger, area wildlife supervisor for the DNR in Marshall, Minn. "While it's common to see pheasants along roadsides in search of grit, it's not a good place for them to feed."
Feeding wildlife can create a number of problems. For pheasants, it can draw them out of thick cover, which makes them vulnerable to predators, more susceptible to disease and more at risk for injury or death from highway traffic or snow plows. Even with a deep snowpack, the adaptable pheasant can typically survive a tough winter without the help of human-placed feed.
"Pheasants are extremely resilient birds," said Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist. "Hens can lose between a third or even as much as half of their weight and still survive a winter by quickly gaining that weight back in the spring."
A pheasant can conserve energy by remaining still for 24 hours or more, Lyons said. They also are able to survive for more than two weeks without food.
"Feeding wildlife is generally not in an animal's best interest," Lyons said. "Human-habituated animals can create conflicts with people, automobile traffic, local gardens and crops, and they can also spread disease."
While winter can play a role in the pheasant survival rate, habitat plays an even more critical part. Improving habitat is a better long-term solution to promoting long-term survival rates. For example, restoring wetlands can provide cattail cover. Fallow fields and new prairie plantings provide highly productive food sources for wildlife. DNR Researchers have found that hens can have a nearly 75% success rate in producing a brood in good nesting habitat.
Landowners who are interested in learning more about establishing wildlife-friendly habitat can find more info on the DNR website at
mndnr.gov/PrivateLandHabitat/Prairie-Habitat.html
. — Herald staff report
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — There's still time to enter the Minnesota Fish Art Contest for a chance to win state and national honors. Submit your entry by Feb. 28. Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, in partnership with White Bear Lake-based nonprofit Wildlife Forever, is hosting this year's competition, which is open to all Minnesota students in grades K-12.
The 2023 Minnesota Fish Art Contest is accepting digital entries only, consisting of two parts.
* Part A: An original hand-done horizontal illustration featuring a fish species of your choice. Any medium except digitally rendered art and photographs is accepted.
* Part B: A personally written essay about your chosen fish species (for students in grades 4-12).
Contest organizers will announce the winners in May.
* More info:
. — Herald staff report
BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is encouraging North Dakotans interested in supporting wildlife conservation programs to look for the Watchable Wildlife checkoff on their state tax form.
The state income tax form gives wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to support nongame wildlife such as songbirds and birds of prey, while at the same time contributing to programs that help everyone enjoy all wildlife.
The checkoff — whether you are receiving a refund or having to pay in — is an easy way to voluntarily contribute to sustain this long‑standing program. In addition, direct donations to the program are accepted any time of year.
To learn more about
Watchable Wildlife
program activities and to view the winning entries in the 2022 photo contest, featured in the
January issue of North Dakota OUTDOORS
magazine, visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at
. — Herald staff report
BISMARCK — Gov. Doug Burgum has declared February as Winter Recreation Month in North Dakota. In recognition of that, the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department encourages people to join in celebrating all of the winter activities and programs available across the state.
"After receiving significant snowfall across the state this winter, our parks and recreational areas are full of endless opportunities to explore the outdoors and become more active in North Dakota this season," Cody Schulz, director of the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, said in a statement. "Our visitation at state parks in 2022 was the third-highest on record and with the abundance of outdoor activities available, we invite even more visitors to experience our state parks in 2023."
From classic wintertime activities such as sledding and ice skating to new favorites such as kick-sledding or fat tire biking, North Dakota's diverse landscape and climate welcome winter fun in February. Visitors can expand their experience by renting a cabin or yurt for overnight stays. Recreational opportunities abound at both state and municipal parks, with many state parks hosting special events, ranging from themed hikes and Valentine's Day sledding to Winter Fest and a fishing workshop.
A list of upcoming North Dakota state park events is available at
. — Herald staff report
