The Maine Golden Eagle Study helps document golden eagle presence, habitat use, and migratory movements in Maine through community science. The initiative is a collaboration between the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group, and Conservation Science Global. Golden eagles are listed as Endangered under the Maine Endangered Species Act and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need within the state Wildlife Action Plan. This project seeks to address critical gaps in our knowledge about these vulnerable birds, which face significant challenges across their eastern range due to their small population size and susceptibility to human-related threats.
Central to this endeavor is the deployment of trail cameras to monitor golden eagle activity. Golden eagles have been sighted in York County, and YLT preserves offer viable locations to set up camera traps to observe wildlife coming to eat. YLT recently had a volunteer set up a baited survey site with trail cameras and he will continue to care for and monitor the site. This is the first time that YLT has provided a camera trap site for the Golden Eagle Study, located on the forest edge overlooking Smelt Brook. YLT’s Stewardship Coordinator recently visited the golden eagle site and observed a turkey vulture feeding off the carcass used as bait.
Learning to distinguish Maine’s two native eagle species, bald eagles and golden eagles, is a good first step in contributing to eagle conservation as a citizen scientist. If you are interested in learning more and participating in the Golden Eagle Project, please email ebrown@yorklandtrust.org
(Photo Courtesy of Avian Haven)