Enjoy Eagle Days at Duck Creek CA, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Wappapello Lake
All three areas combine efforts to offer live eagle presentations, eagle viewing in the wild.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Army Corps of Engineers will host Eagle Days, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Eagle Days event includes live eagle presentations at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge every hour and wild eagle viewing locations at Mingo, Duck Creek CA and Wappapello Lake.

Pat Holloway, an MDC education consultant, said families and visitors of all ages can expect a fun, adventurous event that will help conquer cabin fever.

“Join us for an outdoor nature experience and discover cool facts about bald eagles, which were chosen as our nation’s symbol in 1782,” Holloway said, adding that visitors are encouraged to dress appropriate for outdoor winter weather.

The Mingo National Wildlife Visitor Center will display items related to eagles. Several outdoor spotting scope sites on Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Duck Creek CA and along Wappapello Lake will provide opportunities to view eagles, ducks and geese in the wild. All three of these locations are expansive areas, so visitors are encouraged to pick up a brochure containing a map of the eagle viewing stations when they arrive.

All Eagle Days activities are free. Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and Duck Creek CA are located along highway 51, north of Puxico.

The Bill Emerson Memorial Visitor Center at Wappapello Lake is located at 10276 Missouri Hwy. T in Wappapello. From Poplar Bluff travel east approximately 5 miles on Hwy. 60, head north approximately ten miles on Hwy. T. The destination will be on the left. From Puxico take Hwy. 51 south one mile, turn right on Hwy. T, travel 9 miles to Hwy. D, turn left, cross the dam, your destination is on your right.

For more information about Eagle Days events, call Mingo National Wildlife Refuge at (573) 222-3589. To learn more about eagles and places to view them in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov.

Article and photo submitted.  Shown in the photo: In flight, mature bald eagles are relatively easy to identify. They have a dark brown body with white head and tail. In Missouri, they are observed near lakes, rivers, and marshes, particularly in winter. (Credits - Noppadol Paothong)