Talon It Like It Is: Sitka’s Sky Kings

In this episode of "Raven About Sitka," host Kathrynn explores the fascinating world of bald eagles in Sitka, Alaska. She discusses their life cycle, nesting habits, and dramatic personalities, highlighting their importance in the local ecosystem and Tlingit culture. Kathrynn shares stories of eagle encounters, explains their unique behaviors, and emphasizes the conservation efforts that help these majestic birds thrive. The episode celebrates the close relationship between Sitka’s residents and bald eagles, encouraging listeners to appreciate and protect these iconic symbols of the wild. 

Episode Transcript

(00:17):
Welcome back to Raven About Sitka,the podcast where nature tells
the story.And I just try to keep up where
stories soar higher than the peaksof Baranof Island, and the tales
are as wild as the wingspans.I'm your host, Kathrynn,
part time raven enthusiast,and today we're taking to the skies
with a creature so majestic it'sliterally on the money. That's right.

(00:45):
Today's episode is all aboutbald eagles in Sitka, Alaska.
You've probably seen one before,white head.
Fierce golden eyes,wings outstretched like it's about
to drop into a superhero landingaround here in Sitka, we don't
just see the occasional eagle.We share our skies with them.
There is much a part of the landscapeas spruce trees and salmon.

(01:08):
But let's start with a basicquestion.
What makes the bald eagle so EAGLE-Y?The bald eagle. Haliaeetus leucocephalus,
if you're trying to win.Scrabble, is North America's only
native eagle species.And no, they're not actually bald.
The name bald comes from an OldEnglish word balde, meaning white.

(01:30):
Referring to that iconic snowyhead that contrasts with its
dark brown body.Today we're going deeper than
majestic wingspans and patrioticvibes.
We're following the entire lifecycle of the bald eagle,
from awkward egg to aerial ace.So buckle in because it's time
to hatch, grow, soar and scream.Life begins in a giant stick palace.

(02:01):
The bald eagle life begins not inthe clouds, but in a nest so big
you'd think it was designed by a birdsized architect with hoarding issues.
Eagles build enormous nests,often high in Sitka spruce or
hemlock trees overlooking the water.These nests, called aries,
can measure 6 to 10ft wide andweigh over 1,000#.

(02:25):
#0They're reused year after year, growing with each season.
Think of it as a continuousoriginal fixer upper.
Eagles typically mate for lifeand here in Sitka.
Courtship begins in late winter.You might catch them performing
wild aerial acrobatics, circling,diving and locking talons

(02:47):
mid-air and spinning toward theground in a display that says
Will you fall for me? Literally.Once a pair is bonded and the
nest is ready.Females lay 1 to 3 eggs,
usually in March or April.Both parents share incubation duties.
Taking turns keeping the eggs warmfor about 35 days. That's right.

(03:08):
These apex predators take turnsbabysitting. Love is in the Aries.
When the eggs hatch, the eagletsemerge looking like fuzzy gray
tennis balls with beaks helpless,blind, and extremely vocal.
They rely completely on their parentsfor food, warmth, and lessons in

(03:29):
how not to fall out of a tree.Here's where it gets a little
dramatic if multiple chicks hatch.Competition can be intense.
The oldest or strongest mayoutcompete the others for food.
And in some cases, sibling aggressionleads to what's euphemistically
called natural selection.Brutal, yes, but it's nature's way of

(03:55):
ensuring survival of the fittest,or in this case, the hungriest.
Parents feed their chicks asteady diet of fish,
usually fresh salmon or herring,and Sitka with its teeming waterways.
The pantry is well stocked.Parents tear food into tiny
pieces and gently deliver themto their young.

(04:15):
It's oddly adorable if you canignore the fish guts.
At around 10 to 12 weeks old,the eaglets become fledglings.
They've grown dramatically up tothree feet tall, with a wingspan
nearing six feet, and they'restarting to test their wings.

(04:38):
The first flights are often awkward,uncoordinated and hilarious,
with a lot of flapping, squawking andoccasional crashing into branches.
But every eagle has to startsomewhere, even after they fledge.
Young eagles stay near the nestfor another 4 to 6 weeks,
Begging for food and practicingtheir flying and hunting skills.

(05:01):
The parents continue to feed them,but with less frequency,
encouraging independence.It's like the natural world's
version of, uh. You're 18 now.Get a job once they leave the
nest for good.Juvenile bald eagles enter their
rebellious years.Their full sized but still brown
and mottled, lacking the iconicwhite head and tail.

(05:22):
These markings won't develop untilthey're about 4 to 5 years old,
which is also when they becomesexually mature.
Until then, they roam widely.Some young eagles tagged in
Sitka have been tracked as farsouth as California and as far
inland as Montana.They spend these early years
learning to hunt,finding territory, and surviving

(05:43):
harsh weather and competition,including run ins with humans,
boats and sometimes power lines.Survival rates in these early
years are tough.Only about 50% make it to adulthood.
But those who do become the mostgraceful gliders and fierce fish
neighbors we know and love oncethey've developed that classic white

(06:05):
head and tail eagles are full grown.Their piercing yellow eyes, massive
hooked beaks and seven foot wingspansmake them top tier predators.
In Sitka, adult eagles often pair offand stake claim to prime waterfront
real estate, sometimes evenreturning to their own hatch area.
They'll begin building orrefurbishing nests, choosing

(06:28):
spots close to fishing grounds.Bald eagles can live 20 to 30
years in the wild and evenlonger in captivity.
Over their lifetime,they may raise dozens of eaglets,
adding to the growing populationthat thrives here in Alaska.
Their calls those high pitchedchirps ring out across Sitka's bays
and treetops, especially in earlyspring when territories are being

(06:52):
claimed and relationships renewed.Sitka isn't just the backdrop
for this bird drama.The Tongass National Forest,
with its old growth trees and richcoastal ecosystem, offers the
perfect mix of nesting habitat,food supply and relative peace.

(07:13):
Eagles here thrive thanks toprotected lands, fish runs and a
conservation conscious community.
The bald eagle can have wingspansover seven feet. Weigh up to £15.
And those talons? Yeah.They could crush your wrist like

(07:34):
a twig. Don't test them.They're basically flying
velociraptors with better branding.And here in Sitka, we've got one of
the highest concentrations of baldeagles in the world. That's right.
Our little island town is like EagleHollywood. They're everywhere.
Soaring over the harbor,perched on lampposts, dumpster

(07:55):
diving behind the grocery store.Majestic always,
but sometimes questionably classy.So why does Sitka attract so many
eagles? There's three main reasons.First of all, food.
This is salmon country,and bald eagles are seafood snobs.
They love fish fresh, dead orstolen from an unsuspecting gull.

(08:19):
Sitka's abundant salmon runs makethis place an all you can eat buffet.
Second habitat.The Tongass National Forest offers
prime real estate, tall trees fornesting, wide open spaces for flying,
and lots of secluded coastlines,and finally mild winters.
Compared to interior Alaska,Sitka's coastal climate is like

(08:41):
a spa getaway.Eagles that breed up north often
head south to overwinter here.Think of it as the Florida for
the raptors.
Now let's talk personality.Bald eagles aren't just strong,
they're extra.They're dramatic fliers, screechy

(09:04):
collars and absolute thieves.They're notorious for klepto
parasitism.A fancy word for stealing other
animals food.Why fish when you can just bully an
osprey out of theirs? And the calls.You'd think such a majestic bird
would sound regal, but nope.Their signature screech is more

(09:25):
like a rusty door hinge havingan existential crisis.
In Sitka, we live alongside thesebirds, and I mean that literally.
Eagles perch on rooftops, theyscavenge near fish processing plants,
and every so often someone losesa sandwich to one. True story.

(09:49):
One tried to grab a halibutsandwich right out of my hand.
Eight out of ten for form.Zero for manners.
Locals know better than to messwith them.
It's illegal to disturb aneagle's nest thanks to the Bald
and Golden Eagle Protection Act.And really, would you want to anger a
creature with a beak like a scimitar?So what do bald eagles mean to us?

(10:13):
They're more than national symbols.They're a reminder that
wilderness still exists.That strength can be graceful,
and that grace can be just alittle bit awkward when it dives
headfirst into a trash can.They remind us that power doesn't
have to be quiet to be respected,and that sharing space with creatures
like this, even when they're stealingour snacks, keeps us humble.

(10:36):
Here in Sitka, bald eagles aren'tjust icons. They're neighbors.
Loud, cranky, glorious neighbors.And of course, there's the
Alaska Raptor Center, a nationalleader in eagle rehabilitation.
Every year, they care forinjured or orphaned eagles,
victims of vehicle strikes,electrocution, or illness.
Some are successfully released,but others,

(10:58):
like resident Ambassador Eagles,stay on to educate visitors about
raptor biology and conservation.Eagles play a significant role
in the Tlingit culture as clananimals and spiritual figures.
The eagle and raven moieties arefoundational to social and
ceremonial life.Bald eagle feathers are used in

(11:20):
traditional regalia, and spotting aneagle is considered a good omen.
A message from the ancestors.So what can we learn from the
life of a bald eagle?That survival takes more than
strength. It takes persistence.That greatness doesn't arrive
overnight. It grows over years.And maybe most importantly,

(11:40):
that even the fiercest hunters startoff as wobbly, gray fluff balls
trying not to fall out of a nest.Here in Sitka, we're extremely
lucky we don't have to go far towitness this remarkable life cycle.
Just look up.And there it is,
circling above the shoreline.Watching with eyes that have seen
everything from egg to elderSitka's eagles remind us to stretch

(12:04):
our wings. Ride the thermals.And when the time comes. Take a leap.
That's it for this episode ofRaven about Sitka.
I'm Kathrynn, thanking you forflying with us today.
If you've enjoyed this episode,subscribe wherever you get your
podcasts and leave a review.Preferably one with five stars

(12:25):
and zero fish bones.Questions,
stories or eagle encounters to share.Drop me a line at [e-mail]
That's [e-mail]
Until next time, keep your eyes on
the sky and your snacks out of reach.