Eagle Watching

Here they come -- convoys of birds looking for winter homes throughout the Great Rivers & Routes region, 25 miles north of St. Louis on the Mississippi River.

Hundreds of American Bald Eagles, thousands of Trumpeter Swans, ducks, geese and even the occasional Snowy Owl take up residence in the region from late December through early March.

Eagle Watching Begins at the Alton Eagle Ice Festival

Celebrate all things bald eagle related during the two-day Alton Eagle Ice Festival! This free event highlights the return of American Bald Eagles to southwest Illinois with fun for the entire family.

The celebration will kick off Friday, Jan. 2 at FLOCK Food Truck Park with live music, an ice carving competition, and food and drinks. The fun doesn't end there! On Saturday, Jan. 3, enjoy a full day of activities at FLOCK Food Truck Park, the National Great Rivers Museum and the Audubon Center at Riverlands. New this year is a fun Alton Eagle shuttle loop giving festival goers the opportunity to travel around Alton and experience eagle viewing sites, great shopping and the chance to enter an exciting Local Loop Passport contest.

Facts & Information On American Bald Eagles

Eat fish, carrion, smaller birds and rodents
Soars through the sky rather than flap wings
There is a large amount of bald eagles in Alaska and Canada
Use their talons to fish or steal the kills from other animals
Live near coasts and lakes where there is a large amount of fish
Can live up to 28 years
Both female and male bald eagles have a blackish-brown body, white head, neck and tail, yellow feet, legs and beak and pale yellow eyes
Bald eagles weigh anywhere from 6.5 pounds to 14 pounds
Their body is usually 34 inches to 45 inches long. This is similar to that of a 6 foot man!

The population of eagles inhabiting the Rivers & Routes region in winter is one of the largest bald eagle populations in North America. Read on to learn how you can see eagles in the Rivers & Routes Region

Eagle Meet & Greet

Have you ever wanted to see a live eagle up close and personal? Well, now you can!

The Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau will be partnering with the World Bird Sanctuary again this year for the wildly popular "Eagle Meet and Greet" events. Throughout January in Alton and Grafton, visitors can meet a live American Bald Eagle. On Saturday, Jan. 3 the eagle will be at Flock Food Truck Park and on Saturday, Jan. 17 the eagle will be at the Alton Visitor Center. Learn about America's national bird, ask questions and take photos. Plus, on Jan. 3 enjoy the annual Eagle Ice Festival celebrating the amazing raptors and the birds of winter in the region.

On Saturday, Jan. 10 and Feb. 7, journey to the Grafton Visitor Center to see a live bald eagle up close and personal.

These events are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at each location. Learn more about this beautiful bird of prey from a professional handler. Demonstrations are free.

To request a free Visitor's Guide for the Rivers & Routes region, please click here.

A woman smiles while holding a bald eagle at Eagle Fest in the Great Rivers & Routes region

Want to Meet an Eagle?

Before dawn breaks on the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway, the eagles begin to soar over the Mississippi River. From late December through mid-February, every day is eagle day.

Eagle Watching

Gather your gloves, parkas, hats, boots and binoculars and spend time outside along the rivers and bluffs of the region in what becomes a bird watchers paradise each winter. Look for eagles in the trees and bluffs lining the Mississippi and Illinois rivers or on the open river waters.

Three Ways to See Eagles in the Rivers & Routes region

1. Driving along the byway from Alton to Grafton to Pere Marquette, visitors can experience several great viewing spots and see anywhere between 25 and 150 eagles on their journeys. You can also marvel at the beauty of trumpeter swans that make the Audubon Center at Riverlands their winter home. For more information on this and other scenic drives, click here.

2. Take a brisk winter hike on the historic Route 66 Chain of Rocks Bridge to discover new ways to eagle watch.

3. Take an Eagle Watching Shuttle Tour or reserve a space on the Bald Eagle Days Eagle Tours at Pere Marquette State Park.

For more information on eagle watching, please call the Great Rivers & Routes Visitor Center at (618) 465-6676 Friday through Sunday. Don't forget to take a break and warm up at local restaurants. And be sure to spread out your bird watching fun with an overnight stay.

Dec 26th, 2025

Bald Eagle Days at Pere Marquette State Park 2025–2026

Have you ever seen America's national bird, the bald eagle? Soaring on a 6 to 7 1/2 foot wing-span, eagles are magnificent! It is not necessary to travel all the way to…