The Yukon and Teslin Rivers are home to a large population of bald eagles, probably the most well-known of the 21 species of hawks and owls which can be
seen in the Yukon. Each spring the bald eagles come inland from the Alaska coast,
navigating the high passes through the coastal mountain ranges. In a straight line this can be as little as 100 miles, but the eagles' journeys are often much longer.
The rivers of the Yukon Territory are an important nesting area for Alaska's bald eagles, due to both the sparsely populated wilderness
available to them, and the abundance of fish such as Arctic grayling and Northern pike.
On your river trip, these majestic birds are commonly seen. If you look carefully, you can often see their large nests near the river - in some cases
literally in trees hanging out over the river.
- bald eagles don't develop their distinctive white heads until their third year.
- bring lots of film or memory cards and a good telephoto lens (300mm works well).
