Athena, a golden eagle that flies between Kentucky and Manitoba, will now be studied using tree cameras/Andrew Berry, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

Each spring a female golden eagle named Athena makes the journey from Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Kentucky to Wapusk National Park in northern Manitoba.

Now Parks Canada and researchers from both Bernheim and Conservation Science Global have launched a new project to install tree-mounted trail cameras to provide insight into Athena's breeding and nesting behavior in the park. Remote cameras are a non-invasive way to monitor wildlife in their natural habitat. They are motion activated, don't have a flash and will take daily photos and possibly short video clips.

This initiative offers an unprecedented opportunity to gather and share information to help protect this species on both sides of the border.

What does Athena eat in Wapusk? Does she have fledglings? How long before the eaglets leave the nest? Athena lost her long-time companion Harper but may have met a new one, which could allow researchers to study golden eagle mating behavior and breeding territory — an important subject that has little data, especially in Manitoba.

Athena was first spotted by Bernheim researchers in 2019. She was identified as a companion of Harper, a long-term monitored, male golden eagle. Researchers from Conservation Science Global and Cellular Tracking Technologies outfitted the pair with solar-powered GPS tracking devices to learn more about their habits and migratory patterns, making the two golden eagles the first breeding pair (out of about 100 tracked golden eagles) to be tracked in the eastern United States.

Data indicated that they weren’t just companions in Kentucky but nested together when they migrated to Wapusk, despite taking different routes to get there. The tracking suggested that Athena may have laid and hatched an egg while in the national park. After six months, the eagles left Wapusk, again on separate routes, and reunited in Bernheim for the winter.

Athena is shown with a possible new golden eagle mate/Andrew Berry, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

Athena has continued to make the journey of more than 2,700 kilometres (1,680 miles) every season despite losing Harper in 2021. But she may have found a second chance at love. Audio captured in January demonstrated calling between Athena and a male golden eagle. They were also observed sitting together for long periods, chatting, calling back and forth, and taking turns flying off perch. Researchers are eager to see if the pair will now migrate to Wapusk. 

The number of golden eagles that migrate to Wapusk each year is unknown. Little is known about what birds like Athena do when they are in Wapusk. How do eagles find or choose a mate, or replace a lost mate? Will Athena bring the new partner to an old nest? Or does male determine breeding territory?

The camera could reveal whether the male in Athena's territory is the same one that she was with in Kentucky, based on tail patterns. If Athena has fledglings while in Wapusk, the images could reveal when they hatch, what they eat, and how long it takes them to fly and leave the nest.

Some notable bird species in Wapusk are seasonal migrants. This makes the park a vital habitat for species, such as the golden eagle, to undertake important seasonal behaviors, such as breeding and nesting. It’s equally as important for researchers in Kentucky to understand the importance and usage of the golden eagles’ winter home. The protection of the species depends on both.

Golden eagles are not listed as a species at risk under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. But threats include habitat loss, disturbance at nest sites, poisoning (by toxic chemicals/pesticides and lead as a hunting by-product, including ingesting contaminated prey), electrocution and collisions with vehicles and structures. Impacts on eagles may be highest while migrating and during fall/winter in the eastern United States when exposure to lead, wind turbine collisions and habitat loss are increased. This underscores the need to understand the migratory corridors and seasonal habitats of these birds and to ensure their protection in Canada and the United States for the species' longevity.

Understanding what golden eagles are doing in Wapusk will help guide park management and stewardship to ensure the birds have a protected place to return to each spring/summer.