Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge counted 1,012 bald eagles during a bird survey on December 30. The previous record was 833 eagles. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A record-setting wave of bald eagles descended on a small area of northwestern Missouri right before the start of 2026, drawing in visitors from across the region.
“We have a new bald eagle record!” Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge said after conducting a bird survey on Dec. 30. “1,012 bald eagles were observed on the refuge during the survey. The previous record from January 3, 2022, was 833 eagles.”
A survey conducted earlier this week also tallied over 20,000 snow geese.
Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is a “birders paradise” in northwestern Missouri. The 7,440-acre refuge is a mix of wetlands, grasslands and forest — habitat that makes it a major stop for migratory birds and local wildlife alike.
Loess Bluffs has also been named one of America’s top 500 Globally Important Bird Areas by the National Audubon Society.
“Abundant populations of trumpeter swans, bald eagles, songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, deer, coyote, snakes and hundreds of other species utilize the wetland, forest and grassland habitats on the refuge,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife & Wildlife Service said on its website.
The refuge was established in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and is one of several wildlife refuges across Missouri that help support bird populations along major migration routes.
Pets receive blessings for feast of St. Francis in New York
A gyrfalcon participates in a procession of animals at a celebration for the Feast of St. Francis with the annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony held at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City on October 5, 2025. St. Francis of Assisi was the patron saint of animals. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
