KIMBERLY, Wis. (WFRV) You may have already seen them flying high above the Fox River. When a bald eagle flies, from tip of wing to tip of wing, it could be 7 1/2 feet long. The Valley is becoming a "winter home" for eagles. Wildlife Biologist Dick Nikolai credits the population boom to open, clean water with easier access to food like fish and ducks. "It's a bird of grandeur," he says. "And we have it in our own backyard -- and so many of them."
Numbers are soaring: According to a DNR survey earlier this month, 500 have flocked to the Valley. Four decades ago, when the bald eagle was endangered, there were only 1,000 across the entire country. Locally, the increase is a recent phenomenon, which is why communities from Neenah to Kaukauna will celebrate Eagle Days this weekend. Experts will be out along the river all day Saturday to help answer any questions you might have. More than 2,000 folk are expected to attend Eagle Days to honor our national symbol. "It's one of those special things just to watch this bird gracefully fly or be perched up on a tree," Nikolai adds.
A few eagle facts: They get their pure white head and tail when they reach full maturity at around age 5. Eagles can lift 4 pounds and fly at speeds of 35 miles an hour.
