VIDEO: The Area’s Growing Eagle Population

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI News) – There’s just something about our nation’s symbolic bird that captures our imaginations.

The bald eagle is having a birthday of sorts, this day set aside in its honor.

For the last few decades, the eagle population has grown in our area.

In the early 90’s, wildlife and fisheries reported that only three breeding pairs of bald eagles were in our entire state.

Today, that number has risen, and some of these birds have come to call this area home.

For places like the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, the bald eagle is a recent resident.

“They started in 2002; the first nest was observed on the backside of Loakfoma Lake. It has some failures in the past 15 years from that first nest, but all-in-all it’s been pretty successful,” said Refuge biologist Steven Lewis.

Other nests have been sighted in the refuge as well as Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Lowndes Counties.

Wildlife experts attribute this to people taking a special interest in the survival of this national icon.

“Correcting some of our pesticide use has really helped eagle population explode and also the American public has really gotten on board, since it’s our national bird,” said Lewis.

The breeding pairs at the refuge are year-round.

When breeding season arrives in January and February, this place is a hotspot for eagle sightings.

“Now, in the winter, we might see upwards of 20 or more eagles utilizing this area right in here, not necessarily counting the Browning Creek area. But if we counted that, we may get up to 30 eagles. It’s One of those species that’s really taken the public interest in. You know, we have a lot of species that are similar to eagles, but eagles really capture people’s hearts for whatever reason.”

Bird watchers will tell you that you can also catch eagle sightings around Columbus at Lake Lowndes and Proffitt’s Porch.