Bird of the Week: Golden Eagle

There’s Golden Eagles in Michigan…? Yes! There are two times when Golden Eagles can be seen in the state. Now during the fall migration and again during the spring migration. Late October to mid-November is the best time to see Golden Eagles during the fall migration. These birds are one of the last raptor species to migrate over our area. The Golden Eagles that migrate over Michigan are heading south to states like Kentucky and Tennessee. It’s important to remember that any other time outside of the hawk migration seasons (September-November and March-May) you won’t see Golden Eagles in Michigan. If you see a bird that looks like one, it’s most likely a juvenile Bald Eagle which looks similar to an adult Golden Eagle. Fun fact: Bald Eagles don’t get their white heads and tails until they turn 5 years old!