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Each year, South Dakota participates in
an effort to count eagles in the lower 48 states. The effort is primarily directed at bald
eagles, but counters also keep track of golden eagles. Although bald eagles winter at many
locations in South Dakota, most congregate on the open waters of the Missouri River,
particularly below the four mainstem dams. Because of this pattern, South Dakota's four
standard eagle survey routes were established in 1984 on Lake Oahe, Lake Sharpe, Lake
Francis Case, and the lower Missouri River to the state border.
The Midwinter Survey is not an exact count, but it helps in identifying trends in bald
eagle winter distribution. High counts in South Dakota sometimes indicate that surrounding
wetlands are frozen, forcing bald eagles to the only open water available. High counts
might also indicate mild winter weather in the state, since severe winters may force bald
eagles farther south. This cooperative effort is an informative and important conservation
tool.
To learn more about the national Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey effort, visit the
Snake River Field Station site.
| |
Lake Oahe
Bald Eagles |
Golden & unk. eagles |
Lake Sharpe
Bald Eagles |
Golden & unk. eagles |
| year |
adult |
imm. |
unk. |
total |
total |
adult |
imm. |
unk. |
total |
total |
| 1986 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
|
47 |
7 |
0 |
54 |
13 |
| 1987 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
88 |
0 |
0 |
88 |
11 |
| 1988 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
52 |
8 |
0 |
60 |
8 |
| 1989 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
86 |
18 |
0 |
104 |
17 |
| 1990 |
16 |
1 |
1 |
18 |
1 |
129 |
11 |
3 |
143 |
5 |
| 1991 |
10 |
9 |
0 |
19 |
|
32 |
18 |
0 |
50 |
|
| 1992 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
4 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
| 1993 |
|
|
|
|
|
49 |
0 |
0 |
49 |
18 |
| 1994 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
51 |
27 |
0 |
78 |
3 |
| 1995 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
85 |
13 |
0 |
98 |
5 |
| 1996 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
89 |
13 |
0 |
102 |
12 |
| 1997 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
40 |
0 |
0 |
40 |
10 |
| 1998 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
34 |
5 |
0 |
39 |
4 |
| 1999 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
41 |
6 |
0 |
47 |
9 |
| 2000 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
16 |
3 |
| 2001 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
| 2002 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
21 |
10 |
| 2003** |
5 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
9 |
0 |
21 |
8 |
| 2004 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
12 |
3 |
6 |
21 |
0 |
| 2005 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
3 |
0 |
29 |
4 |
| 2006 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
| 2007 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
16 |
18 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
| 2008 |
11 |
9 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
0 |
| |
Lake Francis Case
Bald Eagles |
Golden & unk. eagles |
Lower Missouri River
Bald Eagles |
Golden & unk. eagles |
| year |
adult |
imm |
unk. |
total |
total |
adult |
imm |
unk. |
total |
total |
| 1986 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1987 |
54 |
5 |
2 |
61 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1988 |
19 |
23 |
0 |
42 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1989 |
43 |
8 |
3 |
54 |
4 |
31 |
16 |
0 |
47 |
1 |
| 1990 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
26 |
5 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
| 1991 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1992 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
80 |
22 |
0 |
102 |
8 |
| 1993 |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
4 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
| 1994 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
174 |
41 |
0 |
215 |
0 |
| 1995 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
123 |
0 |
0 |
123 |
12 |
| 1996 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
65 |
19 |
0 |
84 |
0 |
| 1997 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
88 |
27 |
0 |
115 |
5 |
| 1998 |
93 |
23 |
0 |
116 |
9 |
106 |
62 |
0 |
168 |
0 |
| 1999 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
2 |
143 |
90 |
2 |
244 |
0 |
| 2000 |
15 |
6 |
0 |
21 |
4 |
85 |
71 |
0 |
156 |
0 |
| 2001 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
53 |
68 |
0 |
121 |
0 |
| 2002 |
20 |
10 |
0 |
30 |
4 |
132 |
49 |
0 |
181 |
0 |
| 2003** |
18 |
4 |
0 |
22 |
14 |
123 |
39 |
5 |
167 |
3 |
| 2004 |
16 |
3 |
2 |
21 |
12 |
75 |
22 |
0 |
97 |
0 |
| 2005 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
95 |
22 |
0 |
117 |
0 |
|
2006 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
39 |
11 |
0 |
50 |
0 |
|
2007 |
17 |
3 |
0 |
20 |
2 |
126 |
40 |
0 |
166 |
0 |
|
2008 |
13 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
2 |
114 |
44 |
0 |
158 |
0 |
Totals
| |
Bald Eagles |
Golden & unk. Eagles |
| year |
adult |
imm. |
unk. |
total |
total |
| 1986 |
55 |
11 |
0 |
66 |
25 |
| 1987 |
147 |
6 |
2 |
155 |
11 |
| 1988 |
77 |
35 |
0 |
112 |
9 |
| 1989 |
163 |
48 |
3 |
214 |
25 |
| 1990 |
173 |
17 |
4 |
194 |
6 |
| 1991 |
42 |
27 |
0 |
69 |
0 |
| 1992 |
86 |
26 |
0 |
112 |
8 |
| 1993 |
54 |
4 |
0 |
58 |
19 |
| 1994 |
226 |
70 |
0 |
296 |
6 |
| 1995 |
208 |
14 |
0 |
222 |
20 |
| 1996* |
173 |
34 |
0 |
207 |
22 |
| 1997 |
136 |
28 |
0 |
164 |
17 |
| 1998* |
236 |
91 |
0 |
327 |
16 |
| 1999 |
191 |
100 |
2 |
293 |
13 |
| 2000 |
113 |
81 |
0 |
194 |
8 |
| 2001 |
59 |
70 |
1 |
130 |
12 |
| 2002 |
173 |
61 |
0 |
234 |
19 |
| 2003 |
158 |
55 |
5 |
218 |
35 |
| 2004 |
104 |
28 |
8 |
140 |
17 |
| 2005 |
124 |
25 |
0 |
149 |
6 |
|
2006 |
50 |
16 |
0 |
66 |
3 |
|
2007 |
165 |
61 |
0 |
226 |
3 |
|
2008 |
145 |
60 |
0 |
205 |
2 |
*includes additional observations
**portion of route 4 was not covered between Running Water and Gavins Point Dam
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