Yes, there are bald eagles in Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage is part of the range and habitat of the bald eagle, with the largest population of bald eagles in the United States, about 30,000 birds.
Bald Eagle Sightings in Anchorage
Bald eagles are often found along Alaska’s coast, offshore islands, and Interior lakes and rivers. Most bald eagles winter in southern Alaska, but some leave the state during the cold months. In the Chilkat Valley, over 3,000 birds may congregate in late fall and early winter to feed on spawned-out salmon.
Bald eagles can be seen in various locations around Anchorage, including:
- Whittier, Homer, Seward, and Valdez waterfronts
- The Homer Spit, which is particularly well-known for concentrating eagles
- The Kenai River and its salmon runs
- The Sterling Highway corridor between Seward and Kenai
Guaranteed Bald Eagle Viewing in Anchorage
Image source: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
For guaranteed bald eagle viewing, there are several wildlife centers and sanctuaries in and around Anchorage:
- The Alaska Zoo in South Anchorage has bald eagles (and golden eagles of the Interior) in aviaries.
- The Bird Learning & Treatment Center in Anchorage often cares for long-term bald eagles that cannot be released and displays them to the public.
- The American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines has individual captive eagles among its “avian ambassadors” and sponsors the annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival in early November.
- The Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka provides medical care to more than 200 injured birds each year, including bald eagles that cannot be released.
- The Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary in Ketchikan hosts an exhibit and program from the Alaska Raptor Center.
Bald Eagle Viewing along Turnagain Arm
Bald eagles can be seen from just about any highway pullout and trailhead along Turnagain Arm, a stunning world-class fiord that stretches southeast from Anchorage for almost 50 miles along the Seward Highway. The birds tend to concentrate at the head of the Arm, where the Twentymile, Portage and Placer rivers all empty within a few miles of each other. Viewing will be especially potent during the hooligan run of mid-May-early June and the coho salmon run that begins in August and lasts well into September.
In summary, Anchorage is part of the range and habitat of the bald eagle, with a large population of bald eagles in the state of Alaska. Bald eagles can be seen in various locations around Anchorage, including the waterfronts, the Kenai River, Turnagain Arm, and various wildlife viewing areas. There are also guaranteed viewing opportunities at various wildlife centers and sanctuaries in and around Anchorage.
References:
– https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=baldeagle.main
– https://www.alaska.org/guide/eagle-viewing
– https://www.alaska.org/detail/bald-eagle-viewing-along-turnagain-arm
