WATCH: More than 1,000 bald eagles converge at wildlife refuge north of Kansas City
There gonna be any birds here today? We’re at Les Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge. Oh my gosh, that is so good. On New Year’s Eve I think it was I saw where they had *** record number of eagles. Made about *** 7 hour drive up here and try to get that moon just to the side. I’ve never been here before, but I had some friends that had. The eagles we came here to photograph the eagles and when I pulled into the refuge, I just, I couldn’t, I had to catch my breath. I couldn’t believe how many eagles I was seeing. Oh it’s, it’s awesome. There’s no other place you get to see this many eagles. It’s really neat to be able to see this. The state of Missouri itself is known as one of the most well known states for wintering eagles, and we’ve been seeing an increase in eagles now for years. Our previous record was set on January 3, I believe, 2022, and we had 833 bald eagles in the refuge. Just this past week, we set *** new bald eagle record of 1,012 bald eagles here in the refuge. I’ve never seen this many eagles in one place. All the ones that we’re seeing, uh, that don’t have any white on them are immature bald eagles. As they start to get into that 3 to 44 to 5, you start to see, um, white coloration start to show through on tail feathers and the heads. By the time they’re 5 years old, they usually have *** full white head, white tail, and they’re of breeding age. I’m just blown away by it. Uh, they’re used to people, I suppose they don’t seem to mind us at all, just like right here, those are extremely close. Uh, with my big lens, I can basically just see his head. Uh, they’re, they’re calm, they’re, they’re enjoying their life. I would just encourage folks to come visit. I mean this is *** phenomenal resource for the public. Um, I’m honored to be able to manage, uh, this resource. You can’t beat stepping out here in the refuge and seeing 1000 eagles and uh and what nature has to offer here in northwest Missouri. There’s not *** better place right now that I know of anywhere around here to to see eagles.
WATCH: More than 1,000 bald eagles converge at wildlife refuge north of Kansas City
Less than 100 miles north of Kansas City is a yearly spectacle — the annual bald eagle migration at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.”We’ve been seeing an increase in eagles now for years,” said William Kutosky, wildlife refuge manager. Missouri is one of the best-known states for wintering eagles, and 2025-2026 is proving no exception. Loess Bluffs celebrated a new bald eagle record at the refuge just last week. “Our previous record was set on January 3, 2022, and we had 833 bald eagles here,” Kutosky said. “This past week, we set a new bald eagle record.”On Dec. 30, wildlife experts observed 1,012 bald eagles at Loess Bluffs. “I’ve never seen this many eagles in one place,” said Jim Belote.Belote drove in from Conway, Arkansas, to see the migration. “I would just encourage folks to come visit,” Kutosky said. “This is a phenomenal resource for the public.”
Less than 100 miles north of Kansas City is a yearly spectacle — the annual bald eagle migration at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge.
“We’ve been seeing an increase in eagles now for years,” said William Kutosky, wildlife refuge manager.
Missouri is one of the best-known states for wintering eagles, and 2025-2026 is proving no exception. Loess Bluffs celebrated a new bald eagle record at the refuge just last week.
“Our previous record was set on January 3, 2022, and we had 833 bald eagles here,” Kutosky said. “This past week, we set a new bald eagle record.”
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On Dec. 30, wildlife experts observed 1,012 bald eagles at Loess Bluffs.
“I’ve never seen this many eagles in one place,” said Jim Belote.
Belote drove in from Conway, Arkansas, to see the migration.
“I would just encourage folks to come visit,” Kutosky said. “This is a phenomenal resource for the public.”
