Update: Because of snow in the forecast for Saturday, Jan. 19, the Eagle Days schedule has been changed to Sunday-only. The hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library and at the James P. Davis Hall at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas.
Visitors and residents will have an opportunity to see majestic bald eagles in the wild and up-close during the 18th Annual Eagle Days at Wyandotte County Lake, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 19 and 20.
This free event will take place at the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library and James P. Davis Hall located at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 91st and Leavenworth Road in Kansas City, Kansas. Both sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Event activities will include live bird presentations, craft areas for kids, and binocular checkout for viewing birds along the lake. This setting is an excellent place to catch a glimpse or photograph eagles and waterfowl in their natural habitat.
Educational presentations are scheduled for the entire weekend courtesy of Operation Wildlife volunteers. Exhibits and presentations can be seen at F.L. Schlagle Library and James P. Davis Hall. Both locations will offer a fun and unique experience for all ages, plus each site will feature a different collection of birds.
Eagle facts: The bald eagle acquired its name from early English settlers when the word “bald” meant “white.” Young birds develop their distinctive white head and white tail around age four or five.
Male and female birds look very similar except in size where females tend to be larger. Male and female bald eagles typically mate for life forming pair bonds and lay one to three eggs a year.
Several kinds of fish make up most of the bald eagle’s diet, but these birds prey on a variety of creatures based on what’s available. They also enjoy dining on amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
The once endangered bird due to hunting and harmful pesticides now thrives under protection. In the winter, bald eagles can be found near large bodies of water throughout most of the continent, especially if there’s access to open water for fishing.
Eagle Days at Wyandotte County Lake is presented by Operation Wildlife; the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library; Kansas City Board of Public Utilities; the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library; Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools; and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, Parks and Recreation Department. For questions about Eagle Days at Wyandotte County Lake Park, contact the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Library at 913-295-8250.
- Story from David Mehlhaff, BPU chief communications officer