A wildlife refuge an hour northwest of Kansas City counted a record number of bald eagles one day before New Year’s Eve, breaking a number set four years ago.
The Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, 25542 US Highway 159 in Forest City, said it observed 1,012 bald eagles on the refuge during a survey taken Dec. 30, 2025. The refuge said in a Facebook post that the previous record was 833 bald eagles, observed Jan. 3, 2022.
The refuge said that if you’ve been considering making the trip to see eagles this winter, now is the time. The Missouri Department of Conservation says late December through early February is the peak time for bald eagles, and watchers should look for eagles perched in large trees along the water’s edge.
A bald eagle comes in for a landing as other Bald eagles feed on a dead snow goose on Friday, Dec. 19, at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Forest City, in northwest Missouri. Tammy Ljungblad [email protected]
If you’re interested in spotting the bird of prey in the wild, here are a few places you can go in the Kansas City area.
Where to see bald eagles in the Kansas City area
It’s Eagle Days season in Missouri, where the state department of conservation hosts events at lakes and nature areas around the state for visitors to group together to spot a bald eagle in the open. While no events are scheduled within the Kansas City area as of Friday, Jan. 2, the department recommends anyone interested in seeing a bald eagle visit Smithville Lake, 42 minutes north of KC.
On the Kansas side, Eagle Days are scheduled for Jan. 17-18 at Wyandotte County Lake Park, 23 minutes west of Kansas City. The free two-day event is hosted by the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, and it starts at Mr. & Mrs. F. L Schlagle Library and James P. Davis Hall.
A pair of bald eagles are perched in a tree on Friday, Dec. 19, at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Forest City, in northwest Missouri. Tammy Ljungblad [email protected]
How to spot a bald eagle
The Missouri Division of Tourism website lists these tips for spotting a bald eagle in the wild:
- Look near bodies of water since those are their preferred hunting grounds.
- Scan treetops for high points with clear views of the surrounding landscape for nests.
- Nests are generally large and made of thin branches. They’re often located near the top of mature trees
- Bring binoculars or a spotting scope.
A bald eagle feeds on a dead snow goose on Friday, Dec. 19, at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in Forest City, in northwest Missouri. Tammy Ljungblad [email protected]
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM.
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Joseph Hernandez
The Kansas City Star
Joseph Hernandez joined The Kansas City Star’s service journalism team in 2021. A Cristo Rey Kansas City High School and Mizzou graduate, he now covers trending topics and finds things for readers to do around the metro.
