Hundreds Of Eagles Could Soon Pass Through Kananaskis Each Day

Golden eagles are once again making their way through Kananaskis, and some of the biggest migration days of the fall are still ahead.

Volunteers at the Mount Lorette observation site are spending each day in Hay Meadow watching the ridgelines and counting the birds as they migrate south for the winter.

According to Allison Zukewich, treasurer and assistant observer with the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation, the migration typically peaks between Oct. 5 and Oct. 21.

During that period, a good day can bring 250 to 300 golden eagles past the observation site. But seeing them takes a little patience and a pair of binoculars.

“A lot of tiny dots in the sky flying high above the ridges,” is how Zukewich described the experience.

“You're not going to see eagles swooping in front of you. You need binoculars,” she told Bow Valley Insider.

Why Kananaskis?

Golden eagles are found across the Northern Hemisphere, but many that breed in northern parts of North America migrate south each fall.

Caroline Lambert, a principal observer with the foundation, said that as winter approaches, snow and hibernation can make prey harder to find, while shorter days leave less time for hunting.

The Rockies also provide the eagles with an efficient route south. Southwest winds hitting the mountain ridges create updrafts that allow the birds to stay aloft and travel long distances without constantly flapping.

Zukewich described it as a natural “golden eagle highway” through the Rockies.

Hay Meadow sits along one of those migration routes, which is why volunteers return to the site each spring and fall to watch and count the birds.

The fall count is starting to pick up

On Sept. 27, observers counted 55 migrating golden eagles at Mount Lorette, including 19 in a single late-afternoon hour, bringing the season total to 91.

But the migration can be unpredictable.

“We can go an hour without seeing anything. We can go three hours without seeing anything,” Zukewich said. “Then bang, bang, bang, next thing you know, you're calling out, here's number seven, here's number eight, here's number nine in an hour.”

Golden eagles generally move south between August and December, with the migration at Mount Lorette typically peaking around or shortly after Thanksgiving.

Why fall brings more eagles than spring

The volunteers do the same thing when the eagles head north again each spring, but Lambert said the two seasons can look quite different.

This spring was particularly difficult.

“We had a large number of no-observation days,” she said, pointing to poor weather as one reason the count was lower.

Spring numbers at Mount Lorette are also generally lower than fall numbers.

Lambert said some eagles don't survive the winter, while others returning north appear to reach a point south of Kananaskis where they can branch onto another route rather than following the mountain range past Mount Lorette.

“We never get as many in the spring as we do in the fall,” she said. “The fall is always much nicer because the weather's nicer … and there's more eagles.” 

That distinction matters when looking at the counts. 

Weather and migration routes can affect how many birds observers see. The foundation notes that recent western North American migration data show declining counts at monitoring sites, but researchers don't yet know whether that reflects a population decline or changes in migration patterns.

Want to see them? Bring binoculars and patience

For Bow Valley residents wanting to see the migration themselves, the observation site is in Hay Meadow near the Troll Falls area.

Foundation volunteers will be there every day through Nov. 15, scanning the ridges and recording passing eagles and other raptors. Visitors are welcome to stop and watch alongside them. 

There isn't a guaranteed time to see an eagle.

Zukewich said roughly 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. has been a productive window, and she tends to recommend the afternoon, but weather can change everything.

Binoculars are also important. Lambert said the eagles may be difficult to pick out with the naked eye from the valley floor, although volunteers have a limited number of binoculars they can lend to visitors.

If you're planning to stick around, dress for Kananaskis rather than the forecast.

Zukewich recommends bringing layers, food, water and binoculars. Observers spend long periods sitting still, and temperatures can change quickly once the sun disappears behind the mountains.

A Kananaskis Conservation Pass is also required for vehicles parked in the area, Lambert noted. The parking lot can become busy, particularly on weekends. 

More than eagles

Even on a slow eagle day, there can be plenty happening overhead.

During the Sept. 27 count, observers recorded bald eagles, an osprey, Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk and prairie falcon alongside the 55 golden eagles.

Zukewich said the experience is partly about slowing down enough to notice what's around you.

During her interview with Bow Valley Insider, Zukewich was sitting in the meadow scanning the sky when another bird suddenly caught her attention.

“There's a third right there,” she said, interrupting herself. “I think it's probably a raven. No, it's not. It's a hawk of some sort.”

That unpredictability is part of what keeps her watching.

“Once you can point them out and people can see them and they realize what it is, it gets really exciting.” 

And with the busiest part of the fall migration still ahead, there should be plenty more reasons to look up.