When you think of eagles, what image does your mind generate? For most people, I bet it’s an image of a powerful soaring bald eagle, probably with a water and blue-sky backdrop.
Anybody envision a golden eagle, perched on a North Dakota badlands’ cliff?
Probably not. That’s the stereotype when it comes to eagles. It’s not right or wrong, that’s just the way the chips fall. I tend to think this favoritism of bald eagles has something to do with its status as the national symbol and its trials and tribulations after landing a spot on the endangered species list.
For most people, it’s not a conscious decision to bypass the equally powerful and majestic golden eagle.
While I agree with the bald eagle as the national symbol, part of me sympathizes with the golden eagle’s plight. Maybe it’s because its head is brown streaked with muted gold, instead of white, or that its population didn’t decline dramatically in a short time. Either way, the golden eagle just hasn’t received equal attention considering its similarities to the bald eagle.
That’s starting to change in North Dakota because of a new program called State Wildlife Grants(SWG). With funding from SWG, a University of North Dakota Ph.D candidate is investigating the status of golden eagles in southwestern North Dakota. After three years, we should know a lot more about how many golden eagles nest in the badlands, how many young they raise, and what they eat.
The golden eagle study is one of several made possible with SWG money. Keep in mind, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department is funded primarily from dollars generated by hunting and fishing license sales and federal excise taxes. Most of these funds are earmarked for management of game species and sportfish and are not available for research or management of nongame fish and wildlife.
The Game and Fish Department, however, is responsible for all wildlife in the state. The Watchable Wildlife Tax Checkoff generates some money for nongame wildlife management, but State Wildlife Grants greatly increases potential funding.
In 2001, the federal government approved $50 million for distribution to states. North Dakota’s share was around $500,000. In order to receive these funds, Game and Fish agreed to develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan by 2005. This plan will include a list of all nongame species found in the state along with their distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements. Also, a list of species of concern– species in the greatest need of conservation – will be developed.
Current research will help determine if the golden eagle is one of those species of concern. If it’s not, then it will likely retain its status as the unheralded eagle. If greater concern is warranted, perhaps the situation can be addressed before the population declines too far.
The entire process is intriguing. With State Wildlife Grants, we can expand our knowledge, understanding and appreciation of species such as the golden eagle by giving them just a little attention now. The alternative, in some cases, could be a lot of attention later. And not even golden eagles would want that.
Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Dept. He can be reached via email: dleier@state.nd.us
Photo credits ND Game and Fish.
