Audubon Florida staff received a 2023 banded resight report!

K62 arrived at the Center on March 1 after volunteers rescued her from the ground below her nest in Leesburg (she was not yet able to fly). Once flying, she was released near an active nest with young of a similar age in Pasco County on March 25. Since then, she has clearly been busy! Marina Pierce, a photographer, observed K62 in the Cape Charles, Virginia area from April 10 through 15. In the above photo, the eagle is atop a whale carcass that had washed ashore.

Center for Birds of Prey volunteer Maggie Haynes saw Pierce’s photos of a banded eagle on Facebook. Haynes put Pierce in contact with staff at the Center, who identified the young eagle as K62, which they released on March 25.

As part of a long-term cooperative study through the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, all rescued Bald Eagle fledglings treated by its Raptor Trauma Clinic receive a colored auxiliary leg band before release. The color designates the type of nest they came from: green bands for natural nests and black bands for nests on man-made structures. Audubon’s goal is to learn if the type of nest structure an eagle hatches in influences the type of nest structure it chooses as a breeding adult. This information will also help in future management and protections for Bald Eagles in Florida.

Since 2017, Audubon has banded and released 90 fledgling Bald Eagles as part of this ongoing study. Each eagle that is rescued and released gets a second chance at life and the opportunity to contribute to the future of the wild population.

“Banding resights like this one brings us one step closer to understanding Bald Eagle nesting habits,” says Breeding. “We depend on community scientists to help us track these majestic birds.”

On April 19, the eagle was found alive but motionless on the beach. She is now in the care of a rehabilitation facility in Virginia. While it is not the type of update we hope for, it is a sobering reminder of the challenges eagles face, particularly during their first year of life as they migrate. It is thanks to the science of bird banding that we are able to follow along this eagle's journey.

Thank you to all who were involved in the rescue, treatment, and release of Bald Eagle K62, as well as Marina Pierce for photographing the band.

Have you spotted a banded Bald Eagle? Make note of the band color, alphanumeric code if visible, and which leg the band is on and report this important information to the U.S.G.S. Bird Banding lab. This data helps researchers track longevity, migratory habits, habitat usage, and other vital population parameters.