1,012 bald eagles descend on Missouri refuge, shattering the record
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge counted an unprecedented number of bald eagles during a Dec. 30 survey, drawing visitors eager to see the national bird up close.
A bald eagle surveys the landscape at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, near Mound City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A record-setting wave of bald eagles descended on a small area of northwestern Missouri right before the start of 2026, drawing in visitors from across the region.
"We have a new bald eagle record!" Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge said after conducting a bird survey on Dec. 30, 2025. "1,012 bald eagles were observed on the refuge during the survey. The previous record from January 3, 2022, was 833 eagles."
A survey conducted earlier this week also tallied over 20,000 snow geese.
A bald eagle surveys the landscape at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, near Mound City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is a "birders paradise" in northwestern Missouri. The 7,440-acre refuge is a mix of wetlands, grasslands and forest -- habitat that makes it a major stop for migratory birds and local wildlife alike.
Loess Bluffs has also been named one of America’s top 500 Globally Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society.
"Abundant populations of trumpeter swans, bald eagles, songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, deer, coyote, snakes and hundreds of other species utilize the wetland, forest and grassland habitats on the refuge," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife & Wildlife Service said on its website.
The refuge was established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and is one of several wildlife refuges across Missouri that help support bird populations along major migration routes.
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