AEF in the Media | American Eagle Foundation https://eagles.org Protecting and Caring for Bald Eagles and Other Birds of Prey Thu, 15 Sep 2022 15:27:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.2 Giving Tuesday 2019 https://eagles.org/giving-tuesday-2019/ Tue, 26 Nov 2019 18:54:48 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=146107

December 3, 2019

December 3, 2019 is Giving Tuesday — a special day set aside to advocate for a cause, support a foundation, and to give back to your community.

Your gift will help the American Eagle Foundation fulfill its mission of inspiring the global community to guard and protect the Bald Eagle and other birds of prey through extensive education and a passionate commitment to conservation.

Charity Navigator has once again awarded the American Eagle Foundation its highest rating. Attaining a 4-star rating for seven consecutive years verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and is among the top 6 percent of charities evaluated.

The money raised for the AEF will include funding for:

  • Improving and expanding our rehabilitation efforts
  • Continued care of 70 non-releasable birds of prey
  • Habitat cleanups nationwide
  • Conservation education to both local and nationwide schools

We Are Partnering With Facebook To Double Your Donation

READ CAREFULLY!

Facebook is matching up to $7,000,000 in donations received on their platform.

Their generous offer will only apply to donations made from 8:00 a.m. on December 3 through the end of day, or until their matching funds have been awarded.

  CLICK TO DONATE THROUGH FACEBOOK.

 

Double Your Donation Through Your Company!

See if the company you work for will match your donation!

Thank you for your continued generosity & support.

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AEF Receives 7th Consecutive 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator https://eagles.org/aef-receives-7th-consecutive-4-star-rating-from-charity-navigator/ Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:28:06 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=144444 AEF Receives 7th Consecutive 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

November 4, 2019

For the 7th consecutive year, Charity Navigator has awarded the American Eagle Foundation a 4-star rating. This is their highest possible rating and indicates that AEF adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.

Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in our area of work. Only 6% of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator have received at least 7 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Eagle Foundation outperforms most other charities in America.

This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.  Read more about the American Eagle Foundation’s accreditation, memberships, and permits.

Letter from Charity Navigator to the AEF

November 1, 2019

Jessica Hall
American Eagle Foundation
Post Office Box 333
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868

Dear Jessica Hall:

On behalf of Charity Navigator, I wish to congratulate American Eagle Foundation on attaining the coveted 4- star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.

The nonprofit sector is advancing and expanding. As our organizations evolve, so do the desires and interests of our supporters. Astute donors are yearning for greater accountability, transparency, and for concrete results from us. With more than 1.5 million American charities, Charity Navigator aims to accentuate the work of efficient and transparent organizations. The intent of our work is to provide donors with essential information to give them greater confidence in both the charitable decisions that they make and the nonprofit sector.

Based on the most recent information available, we have issued a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce American Eagle Foundation has earned our seventh consecutive 4-star rating. This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work.  Only 6% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 7 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Eagle Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.

Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger’s Financial Magazine, among others, have profiled and celebrated our unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. We evaluate ten times more charities than our nearest competitor and currently attract more visitors to our website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making us the leading charity evaluator in America. Our data shows that users of our site donated more than they planned to before viewing our findings, and in fact, it is estimated that last year Charity Navigator influenced approximately $10 billion in charitable gifts.

Your achievement and the 4-star rating will enhance your organization’s fundraising and public relations efforts. Our favorable review of American Eagle Foundation’s financial health and commitment to accountability & transparency is now visible on our website.

We wish you continued success in your charitable endeavors.

Sincerely,

Michael Thatcher

 

Michael Thatcher
President and CEO

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5 Best Eagle Cams From Florida To Washington https://eagles.org/5-best-eagle-cams-from-florida-to-washington/ Sat, 05 Jan 2019 17:04:26 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=57562

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. President, The First Lady, Victory & Valor

January 5, 2019

by Daniel Nelson
Originally published in SCIENCE TRENDS  Sept. 5, 2018 | Republished here by permission

 

Eagle cams are a popular way of viewing wildlife, with their easy accessibility meaning that anyone with an internet connection can get a live, up-close views of eagles. What are some of the best eagle cams available on the internet? Some of the following eagle cams are provided by the American Eagle Foundation, while others are maintained by various other wildlife services. Notable eagle cams online include:

 

  • The Northeast Florida Nest Cam
  • The Smoky Mountain Eagle Cam
  • The Berry College Eagle Cam
  • The DC Eagle Cam
  • The Dollywood Nest Eagle Cam.

 

Before diving into the different eagle cams themselves, let’s go over some facts about the eagles that can be seen on these eagle cams.

 


Photo: Dieter444 via Pixabay, CC0

Bald Eagles

Bald eagles are birds of prey found in regions across the North American continent. The bird has been the mascot and emblem of the United States since 1782. The bald eagle is referred to as “bald” because of its white head feathers, which contrast with the dark brown feathers of its body and make the bird look bald at a first glance. Bald eagles are found only throughout the North American continent, but they can live in a variety of different biomes, being able to nest near coasts, marshes, lakes, rivers, forests, deserts, and reservoirs.

Bald eagles typically weigh in at around 3 to 6.5 kilograms or 6.5 to 14 pounds. They have a body size of between 86 centimeters to 109 centimeters, or approximately 34 inches to 43 inches in size. Their wingspan is much larger than their body size, approaching 2.15 meters or 7 feet in length.


Photo: Seaq68 via Pixabay, CC0

Bald eagles get much of their sustenance from fish, which gives them notoriety as “fish eagles”. Though fish make up much/most of their diet, the birds are opportunistic predators that will eat many other creatures like amphibians, reptiles, mice, rabbits, the eggs of other birds, and even smaller birds.

In terms of mating habits, bald eagles are suspected to be monogamous in nature, so once they find a mate they will stay with that mate for the rest of their lives, only taking another mate if their current mate dies. Bald eagles create nests to hold eggs made out of grass, feathers, large and small sticks, cornstalks, and moss. After bald eagles breed with one another the female of the species will lay between one to three eggs and incubate these eggs over a 34 to 36-day long period. After the baby birds hatch, they will stay in the nest and be cared for by the parents until they are able to fledge (flying from the nest) around 10 to 12 weeks of age.

 

Golden Eagles


Photo: Kdsphotos via Pixabay, CC0

Golden eagles are the other main species of eagle found in North America. The birds can be found in Mexico and throughout the US and Canada, being found as far north as Alaska. Golden eagles can also be found in northern Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia. While some populations of golden eagles will migrate, others won’t. The migratory patterns of golden eagles depend upon the climate conditions of their home region. Birds that live in colder, more northern latitudes like Canada often fly south during the autumn months, yet the golden eagles that inhabit the western US tend to remain in their home ranges all the time.

 

The golden eagle is the largest bird of prey in North America, and they are known for their light golden-brown head feathers/brown body. Much like the bald eagle, the golden eagle is a carnivore that preys mainly on reptiles, birds, rabbits, squirrels, fish, and sometimes carrion. The body size of the golden eagle is around 66 to 102 centimeters in length (26 to 40 inches), while the wingspan of the bird is a massive 1.8 to 2.34 meters (5ft 10 inches to 7ft 8 inches). Female golden eagles tend to be a little larger than their male counterparts, but all golden eagles are large as far as raptors go. The golden eagle is the fifth largest out of all known species of eagles.

 

Like bald eagles, golden eagles are thought to be monogamous and mate for life. A pair of eagles can maintain a territory that could be as wide as 60 miles, and they typically nest in high areas like cliff-sides or tall trees. A female golden eagle usually lays between one to four eggs, and both parents will take turns incubating the eggs for between 40 t0 45 days until the eggs hatch. Approximately twelve weeks after hatching the young eagles are capable of fledging.

Eagle Cams

 

Now that we’ve gone over some of the facts relevant to the eagles found on various eagle cams in North America, let’s take a look at some of the cams themselves and see what kind/how many eagles they focus on.


Photo: Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay, CC0

Northeast Florida Cam

The Northeast Florida Nest Cam is one of the most famous eagle cams out there, watching the nest of a mating pair known as Romeo and Juliet. There are two cams that track the nest which provide hi-def, closeup views of the events in the nesting season. Another camera is placed farther away from the nest, which allows people to see the adult eagles fly into the nest and see the juveniles fledge.

 

DC Eagle Cam

The DC Eagle cam is arguably the most well-known cam, which features a mating pair dubbed Mr. President and First Lady. The bald eagle pair are found in the city of Washington DC itself, in a nest made at the top of a poplar tree located within the US National Arboretum. There are three cams that enable people to view the eagles in their nest from different angles, and the cameras are powered by solar energy.

 

Dollywood Nest Cam

The Dollywood Nest Cam is based out of the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at the Dollywood theme park. There are two different pairs of eagles: Glenda and Grant, as well as Isaiah and Mrs. Jefferson. These two pairs of eagles are non-releasable bald eagles who can’t survive in the wild, but live their lives in the best approximation of nature that can be provided to them.

 

Smoky Eagle Mountain Cam

The Smoky Mountain Eagle Cam focuses on a pair of eagles known as Sir Hatcher II and Lady Independence. The Sir Hatcher II was originally released from a hack tower near Douglas Lake in 2012 after he didn’t fledge from the wild nest, while Lady was hatched from the nest of Franklin and Independence in 2008.

 

Berry College Cam

The Berry College eagle cams have IR (infrared) devices that allow viewing of the eagles even at night. There are two different nest cams and an approach cam that visitors to the site can look at. Special events and interviews with eagle experts are archived on the site.

 

In terms of golden eagle cams, nests cams for golden eagles are actually very rare. As of the time of this writing, there is only one continuously active golden eagle cam, which streams footage of golden eagles near Sisters, Oregon. The cam is currently offline at the moment, but there are reportedly plans to bring it back soon.*

 

(note by the American Eagle Foundation) ….. The AEF recently found out that the cam and website for Golden Eagles only operate when the eagles are present.  This project is funded by the East Cascades Audubon Society. Look for the website / cam going live around April each year.

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12-Week-Old Eaglets Luna, Phoenix, and Nova Released Into Wild https://eagles.org/12-week-old-eaglets-luna-phoenix-and-nova-released-into-wild/ Thu, 28 Jun 2018 14:11:11 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=48694 12-Week-Old Eaglets Luna, Phoenix, and Nova Released Into Wild [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-jiz32npd’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Nova, one of the eaglets from the Smoky Mountain nest of Bald Eagles Lady Independence & Sir Hatcher II, fledged from the AEF Hack Tower on June 28, 2018, wearing Patagial Wing Tag N18.

Nova, one of the eaglets from the Smoky Mountain nest of Bald Eagles Lady Independence & Sir Hatcher II, fledged from the AEF Hack Tower on June 28, 2018, wearing Patagial Wing Tag N18. Phoenix is wearing Patagial Tag P18 and Luna is wearing Patagial Tag L18.

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-jiymey3l’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] June 28, 2018

Dandridge, TN – On Thursday morning, June 28th, the non-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF) released three 12-week-old Bald Eaglets into the wild to honor local first responders for Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg. Representatives from each of these three municipalities were present at the release.

The three eaglets released—named Luna, Phoenix, and Nova—are wild-hatched eaglets from the local mated Bald Eagles named Lady Independence and Sir Hatcher II. This pair of Bald Eagles first built their nest directly adjacent to Kroger on Winfield Dunn Parkway, but have since relocated to a nest off Chapman Highway overlooking the Little Pigeon River. This is one of the AEF’s Live Stream Cam locations that provide unprecedented, high-definition insight into the Bald Eagle nesting process. (https://smeaglecam.org/)

During April and May 2018, the American Eagle Foundation’s Smoky Mountain Bald Eagle Nest in Sevierville, became the focus of environmental issues that impact Bald Eagle nests and other wildlife around the country. On three different occasions, with the cooperation of USFWS, interventions had to be made to ensure the safety of the three young eaglets because of the presence of fishing line, hooks, and sinkers in the nest.

In April 2018, it was necessary to remove one of the eaglets from the nest because it had swallowed a hook brought into the nest along with a fish. Fortunately, veterinarians from the University of Tennessee Veterinary Hospital removed the hook, and the eaglet was returned to the nest the next day.

On May 21, 2018, after two more incidents with fishing line and hooks, a collective decision was made by the USFWS and the AEF to remove the three eaglets from the nest for the health and safety of the eaglets. They were placed in the AEF’s Hack Tower (or Artificial Nesting Tower) on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, TN.

The American Eagle Foundation has been releasing captive-hatched and translocated eaglets into the wild from its Douglas Lake Hack Towers since the early 90s. The release of Luna, Phoenix and Nova will bring the total number of eaglets released by the AEF on Douglas Lake to 162—in addition to the hundreds of other eaglet releases throughout Tennessee that the AEF has participated in.
[/av_textblock] [av_video src=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_RV4cgA6HI&feature=youtu.be’ mobile_image=” attachment=” attachment_size=” format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ conditional_play=” av_uid=’av-jiz4eni2′ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-jiz5lxse’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] [av_hr class=’custom’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’30%’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’0′ custom_margin_bottom=’10px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=’#cec7ba’ icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ av_uid=’av-w8w0vq’] [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” av_uid=’av-jj0xx3dx’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]
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About the American Eagle Foundation

The American Eagle Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for, restore and protect the USA’ s living symbol of freedom, the Bald Eagle, and other birds of prey.  The AEF is celebrating its 33rd year of carrying out its mission through Education, Repopulation , Conservation, & Rehabilitation. It is headquartered in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN. Learn more at www.eagles.org

Media Contacts
Laura Sterbens, 865-256-0372
Director of Operation and Publicity Coordinator
laura@eagles.org
[/av_textblock] ]]> Challenger, An Inspiration for All Eagles Fans https://eagles.org/meet-challenger-an-inspiration-for-eagles-fans-everywhere/ Sat, 03 Feb 2018 16:19:07 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=43220 Meet Challenger, An Inspiration For Eagles Fans Everywhere [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] ABC Action News – WPVI-TV Philadelphia
Friday, February 02, 2018
Original Article

Sharrie Williams brings you his story from the site of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.
[/av_textblock] [av_video src=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLPt4j72A6w’ format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] Challenger the eagle has become a source of inspiration and an unofficial mascot for fans of the Philadelphia Eagles. He can be seen performing at football games around the country, during events honoring the country and the military.

As it turns out, his path to stardom began with a storm – and some well-meaning rescuers.
[/av_textblock] ]]> AEF Partners With PIKSEL to Provide Eagle Nest Cam Streaming https://eagles.org/partnering-with-piksel/ Sun, 08 Oct 2017 17:30:39 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=37412 AEF Partners With PIKSEL to Provide Eagle Cam Streaming [/av_textblock] [av_video src=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFzoAyX8vQA’ format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ custom_class=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] Originally published by PIKSEL as a case study. See original article.

[av_hr class=’custom’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’30%’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’0′ custom_margin_bottom=’10px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=’#cec7ba’ icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’] [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] The American Eagle Foundation is a not-forprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for and protect the Bald Eagle, and other birds of prey through the four pillars of Education, Repopulation, Conservation and Rehabilitation.

The Challenge

The American Eagle Foundation (AEF) was one of the first organizations to use cameras to cover a bald eagle nest more than a decade ago. In the years since, they began making this footage available online, eventually as live streaming content. However, the provider they were using was low cost, low quality, and with AEF’s desire to do bigger projects, they decided to look to Piksel. AEF needed a broadcast grade partner for a project to stream the nest and hatching eggs of “Mr President” and “The First Lady,” a breeding pair of Bald Eagle that reside in the National Arboretum in Washington D.C.. High quality streams and stability were needed for the expected high profile and large audience.

“We selected Piksel to live stream this very special Bald Eagles nest based on the reliability and quality of its broadcaster-grade streaming service, as well as its reputation for excellent, 24-hour support – not only for us, but for our viewers.” ~ Al Cecere – President

The Solution

The solution presented by AEF was interesting, because they were not a traditional live streaming customer, nor was this a traditional live streaming setup – the signal needed to be acquired on network, but over IP, and not through any traditional broadcast means. As a result, we had to create a custom solution to acquire the signal into the encoder and delivered it out, something our professional services team was able to accomplish.

The other major technical challenge was in getting content out of the USDA’s network, which is a locked down network, out to their audience. So Piksel had to meet extremely high security and compliance requirements, and install technology on premise to be able to do that.

Once we had cleared USDA’s security, the first step was to install one of our encoders on the network at a USDA data centre. That pulls in the feed from the various nest cameras, encodes the two channels and delivers them to the CDN (provided by Akamai).

Finally, from a front-end perspective, AEF needed a player that could scale and handle the load, something that their previous provider was consistently unable to accomplish. Given that the streaming of Mr President and The First Lady was expected to attract so much attention, they needed the kind of reliability that Piksel’s HTML5 player provided – even at the heaviest peaks, the player never buckled under the load.

Results

Highlights:

  • 10 petabytes of bandwidth over 3½ months
  • Largest number of concurrent viewers: 60,000
  • Largest number of daily viewers: 2.5 million
  • 50 million unique viewers overall

The project was an instant success, with tens of thousands of concurrent viewers viewing at a time, and millions of viewers per day. This was obviously a massive benefit to AEF, as the video was designed to drive donations, and they met their target comfortably. It was covered by national news media, including The Today Show and TMZ that covered not only the footage, but the runaway success of the video as well.

As traffic increased, more and more news sites began embedding the player into their own pages, which obviously began to draw traffic away from AEF’s website, where it was needed. At first, AEF allowed this to happen, as it extended reach, but then refer security was enabled on the HTML5 player that AEF was using, directing viewers to the AEF’s website, eagles.org, which drove massive amounts of traffic and fundraising to the Foundation.

There will be coverage of Mr President and The First Lady for the next season, as well as more locations in Florida and Tennessee. All coverage will be provided by Piksel, who they have entrusted to be their sole platform provider for live streaming video, and conversations are underway about other new filming techniques we might be able to deploy with them.
[/av_textblock] ]]> Injured Juvenile Eagle Rescued & Released https://eagles.org/injured-juvenile-eagle-rescued-released/ Mon, 18 Sep 2017 23:02:56 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=36722 Injured Bald Eagle Rescued by Wildlife Officers

As reported by PEAKofOHIO.com
September 17, 2017


K7, a juvenile Bald Eagle, was rescued in Ohio by Logan County State Wildlife Officers with a fishing lure caught in its mouth and wing. The fishing hooks were removed and the juvenile Bald Eagle was released unharmed.

[/av_textblock] [av_hr class=’invisible’ height=’30’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] On Friday, Logan County [Ohio] State Wildlife Officer Adam Smith responded to an injured, immature bald eagle at Indian Lake that couldn’t fly.

With the assistance of Wildlife Management Supervisor Gary Comer, the two located the bird and found it had a fishing lure caught in its mouth and wing.

The treble hooks were removed and the bird was released unharmed.

Identifying wing and leg bands were found on the immature bald eagle. It was originally tagged in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

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K7 was one of two juvenile eagles the American Eagle Foundation received from the Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary in Guston, KY on June 3rd, and taken to the hack tower the next day. They had experienced a bad first fledge, and it was thought that it would be best to put them in a hack tower for a second try. They just needed a bit more time — there were no injuries.

K7 (aka “Chief”) was released on June 16th, weighing 8.9 lbs.

AEF had received recent photos of this juvenile eagle (prior to this incident), and she appeared to be doing really well. Hopefully, she will have no further mishaps! We are grateful for the rescue by the wildlife officials in Ohio!

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Eagle Eyes https://eagles.org/eagle-eyes/ Sat, 27 May 2017 21:58:47 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=32410 [/av_image] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]

American Eagle Foundation Protects Bald Eagles and Other Birds of Prey

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] Story by Trish Milburn
Photographs by Robert Conover
June 2017

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] There are moments that make such an impact they can change the very course of our lives. Such a moment came for Al Cecere when he saw an Associated Press photo in The (Nashville) Tennessean in 1983 depicting two dozen Bald Eagles that had been shot by poachers in the Dakotas. The picture, along with finding out that our national bird was on the brink of extinction in the lower 48 sates, set Cecere on an entirely new life path.

Jenna Penland, Kayla Jackson, and Laura Sterbens

From left: American Eagle Foundation employees Jenna Penland, Kayla Jackson, and Laura Sterbens hold non-releasable birds of prey—a Harris’s hawk, great horned owl, and barn owl.

Cecere immediately started learning all he could about Bald Eagles and contacted Bob Hatcher with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency who became a mentor and good friend as they worked together for the benefit of Bald Eagles. Cecere eventually left his job in the music industry and has spent the past three decades working tirelessly with volunteers such as Hatcher (prior to his passing in 2014) and staff members to protect and rebuild the population of Bald Eagles and other birds of prey.

Two years after seeing that AP photo, Cecere began work on creating the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) with volunteers collecting coins outside Wal-Mart stores in Nashville. Those early efforts have grown into an internationally recognized conservation organization with outreach efforts that expose millions of Americans to Bald Eagles each year. Today, the American Eagle Foundation is headquartered in Pigeon Forge and operates in partnership with the Dollywood Company. Visitors to Dollywood can see any of the four daily “Wings of America” shows from April through the first week in January. In an open-air theater, attendees are given up-close looks at several birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, falcons and owls.

Karen Wilber holds an American bald eagle for the crowd to see up close.

Karen Wilber holds an American Bald Eagle for the crowd to see up close after an educational show at Eagle Mountain Sanctuary.

The AEF also operates Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood, home to the largest exhibit of non-releasable Bald Eagles in the country. Nesting pairs are among the eagles in the 400,000-cubic-foot, wooded sanctuary. There’s also a section that allows birds without mates to pair and an enclosure dedicated to birds that can no longer fly due to injuries and wing amputations. These exhibits can be viewed from April through the first week of January each year.

The American Eagle Foundation’s headquarters is located in Pigeon Forge and operates Eagle Mountain Sanctuary in partnership with the Dollywood Company.

On a more limited basis, interested parties can make reservations to visit AEF’s off-site headquarters, also in Pigeon Forge. It’s here that the staff rehabilitates injured birds, incubates Bald and Golden Eagle eggs for later release into the wild and takes care of the non-releasable birds used for educational purposes—such as school visits— and flights of birds—like world-famous Bald Eagle Challenger—over big-time events such as NFL football games. It’s also the administrative headquarters for tackling everything that goes into running such a busy organization.

Carrying for baby eagets

An AEF staffer follows strict methods in feeding a 2-day-old eaglet to prevent it from imprinting on humans. In a few more months, it will be released into the wild.

Eagle cams have been also brought the mission of the AEF to millions, allowing internet users to view an eagle nest at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., home to Bald Eagles Mr. President and The First Lady, and pairs at the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary in Pigeon Forge. The Smoky Mountain cam, a few miles from the sanctuary, monitors where wild pair Lady Independence and Sir Hatcher have made their home and raised several eaglets since 2013. Another camera shows a wild nest that is a seasonal home to breeding pair Romeo and Juliet in northeast Florida. These efforts are not without costs, however, and Cecere says the AEF could use sponsors to help fund the continuation of this important outreach.

The Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1995 and moved to the Threatened Species List, where it stayed until 2007 when it was removed from that list in the lower 48 states.

In addition to all the educational outreach, the foundation’s staff and volunteers work tirelessly to protect and restore wild Bald Eagles and other birds of prey. Each year, the American Eagle Fund awards grants to scientists, agencies, and nonprofit organizations for conservation efforts that contribute to eagle recovery around the country. Since 2012, close to half a million dollars has been given out via these grants.

“I’d like to see that endowment program grow to help more projects.” Cecere says.

The foundation has been a part of important efforts to bring the Bald Eagle back from the edge of extinction. Cecere says that in the late 1960s, there were about 400 nesting pairs left. Today, that number is estimated to have grown to more than 15,000 pairs. In fact, the AEF is the only organization in the United States still permitted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct captive breeding and hacking, which is a way to encourage eagle nesting and population in selected areas by releasing fledgling eagles from artificial nesting towers. The AEF’s efforts have led to the release of 150 young Bald Eagles and 12 Golden Eagles from a hack tower near Douglas Lake. Hacking is successful because eagles tend to return to the area where they were raised and fledged when they reach sexual maturity and choose a mate at age 4 or 5.

Al Cecere walks by several non-releasable eagles and other birds of prey in the weathering yard. This enclosure gives the birds time to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

The Bald Eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1995 and moved to the Threatened Species List, where it stayed until 2007 when it was removed from that list in the lower 48 states.

But even with the successes, Cecere says the work is never complete. Just recently, he saw yet another story about poaching of Bald Eagles in the Dakotas. So there is still outreach and education to be done, and American Eagle Day on Tuesday, June 20, is part of that effort.

“The purpose is to celebrate the American Bald Eagle and remind us of what we almost lost.” Cecere says.

The AEF’s website has a list of ways to celebrate American Eagle Day and do your part to help the foundation’s conservation  efforts. Learn more at www.eagles.org.

In fact, there is a wealth of information on the foundation’s website, including the following for those wanting to learn more:

Karen Wilbur, Brad Skinner, non-releasable nesting eagle - Tenn Magazine 2017 June issue

Karen Wilber, left, and Brad Skinner, right, perform up to four educational programs a day at Eagle Mountain Sanctuary for visitors to see and learn about eagles, red-tailed hawks, and several other birds of prey. Visitors can also watch several non-releasable American Bald Eagles in the adjacent aviary, which is also home to three nesting pairs of eagles (middle image).

Having given so much of his life to the preservation of one of the most recognizable American symbols, it’s no surprise that Cecere has found his work very fulfilling.

“It’s difficult for me to pinpoint one thing that has been the most rewarding,” he says. “There are so many facets to what we do. We give eagles a second chance at life in the wild and build up the population. We also bring eagles to veterans’ homes, the military and ballgames, exposing people to their national bird.”

Considering the sense of pride Americans feel at the sight of a Bald Eagle and the fact that they are much more likely to see eagles in the wild now than they were only a few decades ago, the country owes thanks to Al Cecere, the volunteers and staff at the American Eagle Foundation, and to the many volunteers, conservation agency staffers, and other nonprofit organizations doing their best every day to keep an eagle eye on the raptor populations and make sure the majestic Bald Eagle and other birds of prey are with us long into the future.

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Rehabbed eagle at Radnor Lake

Park ranger Dustin Crowell holds a 2 1/2-year-old American Bald Eagle that was recently placed at Radnor Lake State Natural Area after being rehabilitated at AEF from a gunshot.

Where to see eagles

On Saturday, June 17, the American Eagle Foundation will host the 2017 American Eagle Day Celebration at Dollywood. Call 865-429-0157 or visit www.eagles.org for information.

Reelfoot Lake State Park and Radnor Lake State Natural Area are two Tennessee state parks featuring aviaries and educational programs with non-releasable American Bald Eagles and other birds of prey. Visit tnstateparks.com for more information and park programming schedules.
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Originally Published in the June 2017 issue of The Tennessee Magazine

Originally published in The Tennessee Magazine, June 2017
[/av_textblock] ]]> AEF Announces 2017 Grant Winners https://eagles.org/aef-announces-2017-grant-winners/ Thu, 23 Mar 2017 13:55:07 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=29996 AEF Announces 2017 Grant Winners [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”] The American Eagle Foundation is proud to announce the fifth year for its support of eagle conservation and research through its Eagle Grants program. For 2017, six applicants for American Eagle Foundation grants were selected to receive $84,133 in funding for work to be carried out in 2017. To date, the American Eagle Foundation has sponsored grants in support of eagle conservation and research totaling almost $500,000. We appreciate the important work of these grantees, and are honored to be able to contribute to the continued growth and reproductive success of the Bald Eagle population.

The American Eagle Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to protect and preserve the United States’ living symbol of freedom, the American Bald Eagle, and other birds of prey. The AEF is celebrating its 32nd year of carrying out its mission through Preservation, Repopulation, Education, & Rehabilitation. It is headquartered in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains at Dollywood Family Theme Park in Pigeon Forge, TN.

The following are recipients of the American Eagle Foundation 2017 Eagle Grants.

  • Audubon Eagle Watch, Maitland, Florida. Monitor Eagle Nests for Disturbance and Productivity with Satellite Tracking of Rehabilitated Juveniles. $15,000
  • Conserve Wildlife New Jersey. Monitor and Protect Nesting Bald Eagles and Conduct Public Outreach. $15,000
  • Biodiversity Research Institute, Portland ME. Work to Protect New England’s Largest Summer Bald Eagle Aggregation Area. $19,047
  • Delaware-Highlands Conservancy, Hawley, PA. Eagle Monitoring and Education in the Upper Delaware River Valley. $5,500
  • Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Fort Collins, CO. Monitor Bald Eagle Nests, Work to Avoid Disturbance, and Work with Partners to Develop a State Eagle Management Plan. $10,371
  • The Peregrine Fund, Dr. Tricia Miller, Boise, Idaho. Winter Movements of Upper Midwest Bald Eagles into Upland Areas: Consequences for Wind Energy Development – Continued. $19,215

The American Eagle Foundation obtained funding for this grant program in 2004, when both the U.S. Senate and House UNANIMOUSLY passed the “Bald Eagle Commemorative Coin Act.” Congress authorized the U.S. Mint to mint gold, silver and clad coins, which they sold to the public in 2008. The American Eagle Foundation continues to make those coins available to the public through its web site.

The American Eagle Foundation uses a Bald Eagle Grant Advisory Team to numerically rate all grant applications. This team consists of some of the most outstanding eagle authorities nationwide.

We congratulate our successful applicants for 2017!
[/av_textblock] ]]> Meet the Operator of the Bald Eagle Live Cam https://eagles.org/meet-the-operator-of-the-bald-eagle-live-cam/ Sat, 19 Mar 2016 18:19:37 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=14665 [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”] By Gabe Bullard
March 18, 2016

Crystal Slusher is behind the zooms and pans you see when you watch Bald Eagles nesting and hatching chicks online.

The live camera feed of the nesting Bald Eagles at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. has kept birdwatchers glued to their monitors this week as the eagles welcomed their first hatchling of the year.

The new eaglet is hidden from view most of the time, as its mother and father take turns sitting on it to keep it warm. But whenever a parent moves, the camera is quick to respond, panning, zooming, and tilting to give the approximately half million web viewers a better shot of the new baby.

The camera’s controls change hands every few hours, alternating between an employee of National Arboretum and a team of eight volunteers—called “zoomers”—across the United States and Canada. The volunteers are organized by the camera’s host, the American Eagle Foundation of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. (It’s supported by and located next to Pigeon Forge’s other landmark, Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park.)

Crystal Slusher is the foundation’s eagle nest cam education and policy coordinator. She also takes a shift at the controls. We asked her what it was like doing professionally what many of us have been doing for fun in between work tasks—watching the eagles.

“It’s a dream job and one that enriches my life in ways I could never imagine,” she says. “I’m an eagle lover, as are all our volunteer cam operators and chat educators.”

What does running the camera entail?

Paying attention to the movements and behaviors of the adults, watching for anything we think the public may find interesting. And having some basic knowledge about eagle biology. (Read more about America’s majestic national symbol.)

A baby eagle feeds a few hours after hatching. © 2016 American Eagle Foundation, Eagles.org

What do the controls look like?

We are able to control the cams with our mouse from a computer at the office or from our homes. The pan, tilt, and zoom functions use a slider bar on the camera dashboard.

Is someone watching the camera all day?

We have mostly daytime monitoring from our staff of volunteers, however, during exciting time like egg laying, hatching, branching, and fledging, we have 24-hour coverage. [The cameras have an infrared feature to continue catching footage at night.]

How do you decide when to zoom, when to move the camera?

During “hatch watch” we always want to watch the progress of the hatching egg so we try to zoom in on it. The eagle parents roll the eggs quite often, so when they move, we move in quickly with the cameras. [Each nest location has at least two high-definition cams per nest, sometimes three cams.]

While you’re controlling the camera, do you think about the people who are watching?

Yes, we try to think of it as a living picture, and the cam operators are the photographers.

Does it get boring?

I never tire of seeing the interactions of the parents and eaglets.

Click to Watch Live Feed from the DC Eagle Nest Cam.

Your website cautions that “anything can happen” when you’re watching wild animals. What do you do when that happens?

I report what we are seeing to the President of the American Eagle Foundation, Al Cecere, and the Publicity, Marketing, and Social Media Manager, Julia Cecere. We then discuss ways we can help or if help is necessary.

In some instances we have turned it off temporarily until we decided what action we were going to do. In some nests, we’re able to make some adjustments very quickly.

[When asked if they ever do intervene in situations where the course of nature may put an eagle or eaglet in danger, Al Cecere says “we have federal permits for rehabilitating eagles and birds of prey. We have a bit more authority than other folks.”]

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve seen on one of the cameras?

The most amazing thing I have seen on our cameras is watching one of our nests hatch three eaglets in less than 24 hours. I have never seen this happen in any other nests I’ve watched. That was the nest of “Independence” and “Franklin” at the AEF’s Dollywood headquarters.

This interview has been condensed and edited.
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