Unlike the Bald Eagles, being associated with water, Golden Eagles prefer open country and upland habitats, an ecology reflected in the types of landscapes they use during migration. In Michigan, they are best seen along ridgelines, open fields, and classic hawk-watch sites where currents help them gain altitude during long flights. Maintaining open grassland landscapes and minimizing disturbances near key hawkwatch and resting areas also helps these raptors during their energetically demanding migrations, as mentioned by Hawk Mountain.
Although Golden Eagles do not breed in Michigan, conservation efforts benefit them by protecting migratory habitat and ensuring that the broader ecosystems they rely on remain intact. Federal protections such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act provide legal safeguards against harm or disturbance during all life stages.
Bird monitoring organizations, like the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch and similar hawkwatch sites, contribute to our understanding of Golden Eagle movements by counting migrating raptors each spring and fall. These citizen-science and professional monitoring efforts help track trends over time, inform conservation partners, and engage the public in raptor stewardship.
Image: Female golden eagle with a telemetry backpack, courtesy of Daniel Driscoll, USGS.
