From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources
The Iowa DNR will be holding one training opportunity for people interested in becoming volunteer bald eagle nest monitors. The workshop will be held via Zoom on Sunday, Feb. 9 from 1-4 p.m., and seats are limited. Participants are welcomed statewide but be aware that most known nests in Polk, Johnson, Linn and Story counties are covered so volunteers in these counties may need to travel some distance to monitor a nest.
Community science volunteers have been helping to monitor Iowa’s eagle population since 2006. In 2024, they monitored almost 400 nests. Prospective monitors who attend a workshop will learn about this program and how to get involved and monitor a nest in their area of the state.
To be a bald eagle nest monitor, you must have a good pair of binoculars and preferably a spotting scope. DNR staff will try to match you up with a nest near your home base. The time commitment for conducting the survey and submitting data is roughly eight hours total between March and July each year, depending on travel time, and will require multiple visits to a nest.
The workshop has limited seats available, and the registration fee is $5, which covers the cost of materials and postage. Registration for this workshop will close on Thursday, Feb. 6 or whenever the attendance limit is reached.
Have questions? The VWMP webpage may help answer them. If you wish to be placed on a waiting list for this workshop or a notification list for future workshops, email Stephanie Shepherd at vwmp@dnr.iowa.gov.