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We Heart Bald Eagles

Salish and Sucia
Bonded together.

We heart bald eagles – especially our bonded pair, Salish and Sucia! Living in the Eagle Passage habitat with two more rescued bald eagles, they get along well. Keep scrolling for fun facts, videos and stories!

Bonded - not mated
Still together.

Salish (male) and Sucia (female) live together as a bonded pair – this means they share space but don’t mate. They were already bonded when they arrived at Northwest Trek in 2018. Bald eagles bond or mate with the same partner their whole lives, which can be 20  years in the wild. (That’s Salish in the photo.)

What do eagles love?
Perching up high.

Bald eagles have incredibly good eyesight, and hunt small mammals and fish. They need high perches to spot their prey, as well as to feel secure and build nests. All our eagles were injured in the wild, so we’ve built special log ramps to let them climb high while staying safe. (That’s Sucia in the photo.)

Fun facts
about bald eagles
  • Since time immemorial the bald eagle has appeared in Native American stories, traditions and religious ceremonies.
  • They were adopted as America’s national symbol in 1782.
  • They nearly went extinct in the 20th century due to hunting, habitat loss and the pesticide DDT.
  • Widespread community action from banning DDT and enacting laws have helped the species recover.

Eagle Stories

Winter Bald Eagle Vet Exams

Even the mightiest birds under our care have routine health exams to ensure they remain in great shape. For the bald eagles, Sequoia, Sucia, Salish, and Cheveyo, this was preventative medicine in action. Having healthy birds allows Head Veterinarian Dr. Allison Case to focus on their continued wellness.  Keepers and the veterinary staff work seamlessly together to take each eagle to the veterinary clinic for exams. It’s a two-day process, and the team starts with Salish and Sucia. Sequoia and Cheveyo have their exams on the second day. Each bird traveled to the clinic fully awake, and after a careful, …

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Dear Santa: An Animal Wish List

What would you ask Santa for these holidays if you were a moose? Or a bald eagle? Of course we can’t know what our animals are thinking, and we do give them plenty of holiday enrichment treats at Winter Wildland. But we can definitely make some fun guesses based on what they enjoy doing or eating! Here’s a Northwest Trek wish-list for Santa from some of our animals. Let’s hope the guy in the red suit comes through… Moose Dear Santa, The holidays are here, and apparently you give gifts on request. Well, here is my request: Peace and quiet. …

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Bald Eagle in Bronze

There’s a new bald eagle at Northwest Trek. Just outside the entry to the Eagle Passage habitat, a larger-than-life-size bird perches on a tall snag, wings spread. Like many an eagle, it stares into the distance, motionless. But this bald eagle won’t ever grow old or weaken. Cast in bronze, it immortalizes the iconic American birds that call the wildlife park home – and stands as a tribute to the human donors who made their habitat possible. “This is a project very dear to our hearts,” says Cathy Torgerson, president of the Northwest Trek Foundation which raised the $500,000 funding …

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