Keeping an Eagle Eye Out for You
by Marcia Wilson
Our Bald Eagles
Bald Eagles are never far from the Lakewood campus of Clover Park Technical College. It meets their needs as one of the continent’s largest true raptor. There’s open space, large swaths of territory with minimal humans, and a high potential for food with the wetlands and nearby Chambers Bay. As CPTC prepares for Spring Break, the eagles’ work is just beginning: nesting season!
Which eagle?
Breaking down the Latin nomenclature, the Bald Eagle’s name, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, means white-headed Sea Eagle. Sea Eagles may be the oldest living birds in the world; fossil have been found dating to ~33,000,000 years ago. This is an admirable feat, as they have a very slow molecular evolution and take a long time to grow to maturity.
Bald Eagles aren’t bald, and bald didn’t mean “devoid of hair” when they were named the Bald Eagle. Bal is an old Celtic word meaning “white patch, blaze” and in its related languages, implied something exposed or free from artifice. A bald-faced liar, for example, meant someone who lied obviously. The layman’s ear may not see much difference between bald-faced or bold-faced.
The room with a view
The Eagle’s nest is properly called aerie, a very old word with multiple meanings encompassing “field” and “house”. In general terms an aerie could be applied to any nest that is built high in the sky. Eagles, herons, and the nests of high-flying birds of prey are called aeries.
Eagle aeries need to be high up to be safe from predators but also provide an advantageous lookout. They need to be close to water and will nest within a short flight of the coastline, rivers, lakes, and streams. The eagle in this photo is only a few miles from campus. Their typical range runs from a square mile to six, depending on how much food is available.
Aerie is a pleasant-sounding word and humans have begun to use it when alluding to high-rise apartments and homes.
A return investment
Eagles return to their nests if they can. It is a sensible choice considering the high level of energy spent in building and rebuilding their homes. Every year the nest gets a little bigger. Three meters across and five meters deep is not unusual! The same couple can keep a nest for 35 years, which leads to a very large house.
Secondary housing
Eagles will build multiple nests. Their reasons are unclear, but it gives them an advantage should they lose one nest. Nests are abandoned or damaged by habitat loss and urban encroachment. Some eagles build two nests, and alternate every other year.
Life on Campus
Bald Eagles may like to build their own nests, but they have no problems with stealing a nest from the osprey. Every year the Osprey living on the radio tower return from Mexico and every year there is at least two disputes with a bald eagle. Two years ago, it was lively enough that Security Officer Demetrius Bell witnessed “a real dogfight” with the osprey flying upside down and surrounding the intruder. After a few days of this, the eagle gave up, but they are never completely far from the radio tower.
The Red tail hawks that nest in the CPTC uplands dislike the eagles and often clash. As eagles and hawks both hunt in pairs it can lead to a lot of drama.
Roadside Dining
Bald Eagles are fish eagles. In their need to get a full belly they will hunt aggressively over the waters of Chambers Bay and Flett Creek. They also steal from the Osprey. Between the Sea Eagle and Sea Hawk, the osprey has the disadvantage; they are not well equipped to adapt to a diet outside of freshly-caught fish.
In contrast, Bald Eagles may prefer fish, but they never refuse a free meal. Hunger drives them to other prey like birds—usually waterfowl like the American Coot. In the summer of 2024 the college witnessed an unusually high number of coots in the marsh—and with it, an uptick in Bald Eagle sightings. They could hardly be blamed, as coots are plump, heavy birds with plenty of good meat, affectionately called “swamp chickens”. They also eat small animals like marmots, rabbits, and domesticated pets.
Road stats
The freest meal is the riskiest. They watch the roads for roadkill. Savvier eagles will take it with them and eat somewhere in safety. Security officer Corey Williams once saw an adult sit down behind the campus warehouse with a fresh breakfast of opossum. Even on the ground it was wary and ready to defend its meal.
Bald Eagles take heavy losses from vehicles because they are just trying to get food. The Tacoma/Lakewood city crews work hard to keep the roads clear of roadkill and that has saved many eagle lives.
Before long the months will warm and the eagles will be seen riding the thermal updrafts over the CPTC outdoor lab. Be prepared to look quickly; they can fly up to 20,000 feet up and clip through at 50 miles an hour!