Eagles Come to Kiawah

Throughout the year, Kiawah’s resident bald eagles are spotted across the Island and usually settle around Willet Pond and Summer Islands. As winter approaches and the northern lakes and streams begin to freeze, many eagles make their way south for the season. Soon our eagles may have company from their northern counterparts as the fall migration takes place across the country.

As you have seen with the Kiawah eagles, not all eagles migrate. Along the coast and in temperate climates like the southeast region, many eagles stay year-round because food is plentiful, and they have no real reason to leave their home. For those that do fly south, the fall migration moves much more slowly than in the spring when their internal clocks are tell them it’s time to nest and breed.

During a migration, eagles can fly as many as 225 miles each day and can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, but conditions must be right for the birds to soar. Eagles prefer uplifting winds and thermal air currents combined with strong tailwinds to reach optimal speed and heights. They move strictly during the day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and prefer clear, sunny days with just the right wind conditions. Because eagles soar and glide rather than flapping their wings, wind is of the utmost importance. Too much can cause them to go off course, and with too little, they cannot fly. In the spring, visiting eagles will leave South Carolina moving north toward Chesapeake Bay and even Canada. Although they will travel far, they usually return to nest within 100 miles of where they were born.

According to the Town’s environmental committee, bald eagles are the largest raptors in South Carolina and can be seen regularly on Kiawah from fall to spring. Here are some common eagle facts that can be found at www.WildLifeAtKiawah.com  

• Eagles are large, powerful, brown birds with white heads and tails.
• Females are larger than males and can weigh up to 14 pounds and have a wingspan of 8 feet. Males typically weigh between 7 to 10 pounds.
• Eagles can live up to 30 years in the wild.
• Bald eagles feed primarily on fish and will often “steal” fish from ospreys. They will readily consume carrion, mostly dead fish. During the winter they will also feed on coots, injured ducks, and occasionally small mammals. 
• Bald eagles mate for life and build huge nests in the tops of large trees near rivers, lakes, and marshes. Nests, which are usually re-used and enlarged every year, can reach 10 feet across and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
• All birds of prey and their nests are protected by local, state, and federal law.

Wildlife management on Kiawah is handled by a full-time wildlife biologist and an assistant wildlife biologist in cooperation with the Town's Environmental Committee, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and other island entities, such as the Kiawah Conservancy, Heron Park Nature Center and the Kiawah Island Community Association. The Town and Conservancy have funded and supported several research projects and programs, many of which are ongoing, in order to better understand and manage the wildlife species on the Island. If you are interested in learning more about Kiawah’s eagles, visit www.WildLifeAtKiawah.com or contact the Town of Kiawah Island at (843) 768-9166.

For additional information about the migratory patterns of eagles, read more at http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/eagle/WeatherNye.html.