It’s almost January in Iowa – and that means the arrival of some very welcome guests in our skies. The Bald Eagle, America’s national bird, is about to begin its nesting season, and the sight of bald eagles in January will soon be commonplace over our rivers and state parks. But observers weren’t sure it would turn out this way – we’re coming off several concerning years when the number of bald eagles in the Hawkeye State dropped precipitously. In fact, the number of fledglings in 2022 is believed to be the lowest number ever recorded. But as the eagles returned to Iowa for 2023 and started building their nests, a dedicated team of bald eagle researchers had good news to report. Now the question is where are the best places to potentially catch a glimpse of these revered and protected birds? Here are the best spots to see bald eagles in Iowa.

The majestic bald eagle is one of the most impressive sights possible, and it'll soon be spreading its wings over Iowa.
Andy Morffew/Wikipedia
Nesting season for bald eagles is underway, which means the industrious birds have been busy building their nests.
Peter K. Burian/Wikipedia
Soon these nests will be filled with the all-important eaglets. Where can you see them (from a safe distance)?
Everglades NPS/Wikipedia

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The annual bald eagle survey has been underway, and the area with the largest concentration of bald eagle nests is along the Iowa river.
Iowa River, Iowa, USA
Unknown Author/Wikipedia
But several top Iowa parks are nesting locations as well. This includes Big Creek Lake State Park...
Big Creek Lake, Iowa 50226, USA
Paul Worley/Google Local
...and Lake Ahquabi State Park. Both are great recreation destinations if you're planning to do a little birdwatching.
Lake Ahquabi State Park, 16510 118th Ave, Indianola, IA 50125, USA
Rodney Gates/Google Local

Have you seen bald eagles in Iowa? Are you planning to make an eagle watching trip for the 2024 nesting season? Let us know in the comments section. You can find out more about the rebound of Iowa’s bald eagle population in the official Iowa DNR press release. If you’re planning to keep an eye out, make sure to invest in a good pair of binoculars. And if you’re one of those people who enjoys camping in the winter, check out this all-season camping retreat.

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