Bald Eagles on the Merrimack River

Bald eagles are present year round in New Hampshire with pairs breeding and raising young in the spring/summer and many wintering in areas with open water, such as the Merrimack River.

Each March, New Hampshire Audubon holds an annual NH Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey as part of the national Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey. NH Audubon’s 2018 count tallied 77 individual Bald Eagles seen across New Hampshire on Count Day. Top regional honors for most eagles seen on Count Day 2018 went to the Merrimack River watershed, where 26 eagles were tallied on Count Day.

Bald Eagles may occasionally be spotted in the summer, but most sightings occur during the winter months, when they’re particularly active on cold, breezy days. Eagles may often be seen perched atop dead trees or circling around carrion, such as the carcass of a waterfowl or deer that got stuck in the ice.

Bald Eagle Facts

Bald Eagles are 3 feet tall with wing spans up to 8 feet long.

Females weigh up to 14 pounds while males weigh 7-10 pounds.

Bald eagles can live up to 30 years and can begin breeding between 4 and 6 years of age.

They build large nests in tall trees near the water’s edge. Females lay one to three eggs, between March and May. Both the male and female incubate the eggs and the young hatch after five weeks. Bald eagles often retain the same mate for many years and reuse the same nest from year to year.