Bald Eagles of Eastern Idaho Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 2005 Annual Productivity Report with Summary of Related Research

We report results of calendar year 2005 activity and productivity surveys at each of the 61 currently known bald eagle breeding areas within the Southeast Idaho portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). Data were collected through aerial, ground, and float surveys. The winter of 2004-2005 featured considerably lower than normal precipitation and relatively warm weather, followed by near record precipitation levels in May and June. The result was a high level of activity at known bald eagle breeding areas, high productivity at lower elevation breeding areas, but more than the average number of nest failures at higher elevations where the breeding pairs typically initiate nesting later in the season.