This January, bring your friends and family to view upwards of 60 Bald Eagles at The Dalles Dam's Westrick Park as they migrate south. Seufert Park, which is directly across from Westrick park is open every day during daylight hours. On the dates listed below, park rangers from the Corps and U.S. Forest Service and raptor handlers from the The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will be hosting fun activities, educational programs and live raptor viewings.

• This FREE event is accessible to visitors with disabilities.
• We encourage you to bring your own scopes, cameras and binoculars.
• All activities will take place outside and follow COVID safety guidelines, so please dress appropriately.

Event Dates:
Friday, January 21 - 10am to 3pm
Saturday, January 22 - 10am to 3pm
Friday, January 28 - 10am to 3pm
Saturday, January 29 - 10am to 3pm

Driving Directions to Seufert Park at The Dalles Dam

Eagle Etiquette
Winter is all about survival for wildlife and every animal needs the necessary calories to make it to the warmer months. That’s why it is important to maintain a distance of 300 yards when bird watching or 100 yards in a vehicle. You should also leash pets, which can easily scare wildlife.

Give each other space too. About six feet to be exact. Trails can become congested and our favorite outdoor places crowded, so bring masks and hand sanitizer.

Watch Fly Like an Eagle: Exploring Winter Gorge Eagle Migration, a webinar hosted February 16, 2021 with our partners that explores migration, behavior, and biology; the history of the Gorge Eagle Watch program; local efforts to protect migrant and resident eagle populations; and viewing opportunities for these top predators in the Columbia Gorge.

Featured speakers include:
• Morgan Olson, Raptor Educator, Columbia Gorge Discovery Center
• Matthew Stuber, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Amber Tilton, Park Ranger, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - The Dalles Lock and Dam

In the videos below, see the raptors who live at The Discovery Center, with Morgan Olson, the raptor education coordinator. Visit some of the patients recovering from their injuries at the Rowena Wildlife Clinic with Dr. Jean Cypher. Meet One-Eyed Jack the Great Horned Owl and his side-kick, Ron Kikel, from the U.S. Forest Service. Plus, see a ‘birds eye view’ of the Bald Eagles from the top of The Dalles Dam with Park Ranger Amber Tilton.

Since 2010 park rangers at The Dalles Lock & Dam have hosted an annual Eagle Watch event from The Dalles Dam Visitor Center. The visitor center and adjacent Seufert Park is a hub for bird watchers, photographers and others seeking to see America’s National Symbol in action. This is because, located directly across the river from the visitor center and Seufert Park is The Dalles Dam and a green space on the south side of the dam, known as Westrick Park.

This green space, although not open to the public, is a prime winter roosting spot for migrating eagles due to the very nature of its secluded location. It’s quiet, dark at night, and free from much human disturbance. In addition, the area is blocked from the wind on one side and has many different perching options such as tall trees and snags, power towers, and rock islands for water access.

Wintering eagles often congregate at the confluence of rivers or around dams and powerhouses where the water is constantly turbulent. This is because turbulent water won’t freeze over in the winter, meaning guaranteed access to fish, their main source of food and the reason they are here! Eagles migrate in search of food and will return to the same communal roosting sites year after year. Mid-December through February it is common to see anywhere from 40 to 60 eagles in this one location! Then, once the weather warms and food is plentiful again, our winter guests return home to nest.