WENDELL, Idaho — Despite Benjamin Franklin famously calling them "birds of bad moral character," the bald eagle has been the national bird since 1782.
Despite this, they can sometimes be hard to come by. Bald eagles live a fairly isolated existence in remote parts of the continent.
Lucky for the Gem State, they are fairly prevalent in Idaho, especially in the winter months in one specific southern Idaho place called Eagle Tree.
There's a reason people pull over and slow down in the middle of West Point Road in Gooding County. In the middle of winter, this spot becomes the center of attention for avid and amateur bird watchers.
"I just think they're such majestic creatures," Lisa Haney said.
If you focus on the middle of a field, you'll notice a bunch of bald eagles balanced on cottonwood branches of two or three trees.
Right about the time the temperatures dip toward freezing, the eagles start alighting on the limbs of the trees. At this point, the cars start stacking up on the shoulder of the road.
Migrant bald eagles typically begin appearing in their traditional wintering grounds in October, according to the Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game. Their populations typically peak in January and February.
Eagles generally gather near sources of food, like rivers and mainly lakes.
The Hagerman Valley Foundation gives bird tours every winter and spring, and the Eagle Tree is part of their rotation.
Just remember, eagles roost on private property and typically like to be left alone.
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