Bald eagle sightings in Regina not as rare as some might think
It’s not going to be every day a person spots a bald eagle flying over their head or sitting in a tree while going for a walk around Regina’s Wascana Lake, but according to a University of Regina Professor of Biology, it’s more common than many might think.
Dr. Mark Brigham said he’s seen both golden and bald eagles himself while out for walks around the lake in the winter time.
“It’s actually not what I would call rare,” he said. “Believe it or not, eagles are actually pretty common around Saskatchewan.”
The question about commonality was asked after pictures of a bald eagle spotted along Wascana Lake were sent to CTV News Regina.
Dr. Brigham said in southern Saskatchewan, golden eagles are more common than bald eagles, but added both are around the area.
“They [golden and bald eagles] can be hard to tell apart because when bald eagles are juveniles and for the first few years of their life, they do not have the white heads,” Brigham said.
Brigham said it’s possible the animals could be nesting in the region, but more than likely would be juveniles and not at that stage of life yet.
Although bald eagles are more common in the area than many think and are out hunting anything from fish to small rodents, Brigham said owners of small dogs and other pets that may be alone in the backyard, should not have to worry about the bird of prey hunting them.
“Because their [bald eagle’s] wingspan is so big they’re not really maneuverable. They need lots of space to do things and a backyard isn’t generally big enough for them to do that.”
Brigham said he would not call it impossible, but highly unlikely.
(Submitted by Amber Pirie)
When fully grown, bald eagles have an average wingspan of six to seven-and-a-half feet.
If people want to venture out to see if they can spot the bird of prey for themselves, Brigham said it’s possible to see one at any point in the day.
“They’re certainly going to be most commonly roosting in a tree sort of early in the morning and towards the sunset when they can’t be hunting, but you can see them at all times of the day,” Brigham said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.