Missouri's winter eagle watching is spectacular. If you can’t make it to one of our many Eagle Days events (check out the calendar below), browse our best-places list for locations to enjoy eagle-viewing on your own. From late December through early February, watch for eagles perched in large trees along the water’s edge. Get out early in the morning to see the eagles flying and fishing.
Best places for winter eagle viewing
- Lake of the Ozarks at Bagnell Dam Access, east of Bagnell
- Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on Route K, southwest of Columbia
- Lock & Dam 24 at Clarksville
- Lock & Dam 25 east of Winfield
- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Puxico
- Old Chain of Rocks Bridge south of I-270, off of Riverview Drive, St. Louis
- Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary east of West Alton
- Schell-Osage Conservation Area north of El Dorado Springs
- Smithville Lake north of Kansas City
- Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge south of Mound City
- Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Sumner
- Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery southwest of Branson
- Truman Reservoir west of Warsaw
Eagle Days Events
Schools from across the region are invited to attend the Eagle Day Student Day to experience the Live Eagle Show, Field Experience, and other activities in the area. Registration is held outside of the Event Management Center. Please email Sally Hancock at: [email protected] for a registration link for your school.
3 Shows will be held to accommodate all the schools. Field Experiences will be held in three locations (1 on Mingo, 1 on Duck Creek, and 1 at Wappapello Lake).
Schedules will be sent out to schools after registration closes and a master schedule is created.
We're celebrating the return of bald eagles to Mingo NWR, Duck Creek CA, and Wappapello Lake. This special event includes the indoor live bald eagle shows from our friends at the World Bird Sanctuary. Programs will be held at the Puxico Activity Center (FEMA building) at 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 12:30PM, and a special show at 2:00PM. Opportunities to view bald eagles in the wild, with the assistance of volunteers and spotting scopes, will be available from 8:00AM - 4:00PM at the Visitor Center at Wappapello Lake, 2 locations on Mingo NWR and 1 location at Duck Creek CA during event hours. Mingo Visitors Center will have presentations on the restoration project that took place on the refuge.
All ages are welcome. Participation is FREE! Registration is not required. However, eagle shows have a capacity of 400 people and will be filled on a first come first serve basis.