Experience bald eagle utopia along the banks of the Skagit River

The bald eagle is one of North America’s largest predatory raptors and among the continent’s most recognizable birds. If you’d like to see one of these majestic creatures in their natural habitat this winter, there’s no better place than the banks of the Skagit River.
 
Tucked into Howard Miller Steelhead Park, the Bald Eagle Interpretive Center near Rockport is a prime outpost to witness one of the coolest winter migrations in Washington. Every year around the beginning of December, dozens of bald eagles return to this area from all over Alaska and British Columbia for one simple reason: salmon.

Throughout the fall, massive schools of chum salmon leave the ocean to return to the Skagit River system where they were born. After spawning, they die, and their carcasses line the banks providing vital nutrients to the soil and surrounding forests, as well as food for local wildlife. The migratory eagles swoop through during this time and spend a couple of months feasting on fish remains along the Skagit before flying home north at the beginning of February.

Congress designated the Skagit River a Wild and Scenic River system in 1978. This unique waterway is the only river in Washington to support all five types of salmon. Chum, unlike other salmon species, make their annual run during the winter from October to December. As a result, the Skagit turns into a bald eagle utopia this time of year.

“Bald eagles seem very majestic, but it’s all risk versus reward,” Bald Eagle Interpretive Center Volunteer Coordinator Amanda Eisenberg said. “They’re just going for the spawned-out salmon, the easy stuff they can grab.”

As I walked along the Skagit on a brisk December morning last week, I had to watch my step to avoid accidentally squishing washed up fish carcasses. It wasn’t the prettiest sight and didn’t smell like roses — but then sure enough, a pair of distinctive high-pitched chirps cut through the air. I looked up and two large bald eagles whipped through the river valley, chasing each other onto opposing trees over on the far side of the bank.

Like with any sort of wildlife watching, how many animals you end up seeing on a given day sometimes comes down to luck and being in the right place at the right time.

“On our walks last year, we counted as much as 11 (eagles),” Eisenberg said. “There’s another company that does a float down to Howard Miller Steelhead Park and you can see a lot more doing that as well. When I did a float last year, it was around 50.”

While that may not sound like a lot of birds, that number of bald eagles is nothing short of remarkable. The raptors were on the brink of extinction in the 1980s, due in part to the proliferation of pesticides like DDT, which killed millions of animals across North America. The pesticide washed into waterways and was absorbed by marine life, upon which bald eagles and other creatures fed. At the time, Washington scientists estimated there were only 104 breeding pairs left in the entire state with an uncertain future.

Since DDT was banned in 1972, the bald eagle population’s rebound over the decades since has been stunning. They  were removed from the federal Endangered Species list in 2007 and taken off Washington’s protected species list in 2016. 

That recovery makes seeing the bald eagles soaring and shrieking overhead near the Skagit even more special. Howard Miller Steelhead Park – or other downriver spots like Rockport State Park or Rasar State Park – are open for visitors to eagle-watch on their own.

If you want to make your visit extra educational, line up your trip with a guided tour. The Bald Eagle Interpretive Center volunteers are hosting host free, two-hour treks for the public on weekends, as well as weekday private tours for schools and other organizations from Saturday through Feb. 16, 2025. RSVPs are encouraged and can be made through the organization’s website. Donations are accepted.
 
“We walk through a few different ecozones,” Eisenberg said, referring to places like old growth forest and the river itself. “We talk about how everything is connected. Fish are connected to the bald eagles. Fish are connected to the trees.”

As the salmon die, they provide a nutrient-rich fertilizer for the forest surrounding the river. The nitrogen levels from that fertilizer can eventually be seen in the wood from cut trees, which can indicate to scientists how big a past salmon run was, Eisenberg said.
 
On Saturday, the eagle center will host its seasonal grand opening event, featuring two different live bird shows on-site. It’s a chance to see eagles up close and get a real sense for just how massive and imposing they are. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. 
 
As ferocious and menacing as the birds appear, this winter migration is a reminder that bald eagles are just like any other species on the planet. They are on the lookout for the easiest meal around, and don’t mind traveling a bit out of the way to get it.
 
Over the next couple of months, the dinner bell will be ringing loud and clear along the Skagit River. Be sure to make the trip and check it out while you can.