EagleFest takes flight February 8

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2020 EagleFest 

February 9, 2020
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Croton Point Park, 1 Croton Point Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Admission: Children, ages 6-11 $13-15, Adults $22 pre-sale, $25 day of the event
No dogs allowed!
www.teatown.org or 914-762-2912 ext. 130

Click map above for viewing sites (some with heated tents!) for this year’s EagleFest

Click map above for viewing sites (some with heated tents!) for this year’s EagleFest

The Eagle Train:

Take Metro-North from Grand Central (at 8:48 a.m.) or Metro North from Poughkeepsie (at 8:50 a.m.) to Croton-Harmon for a unique, on-board educational experience with EagleFest naturalists scoping out roosts along the railway. Free shuttles will be available from the Croton-Harmon Station to and from the park all day. 

After facing the brink of extinction, bald eagles are returning to the Hudson Valley thanks to decades of awareness and conservation efforts. On February 9th, the iconic bird will be on full display during their annual migration to EagleFest at Croton Point Park.

During EagleFest, guarantee a sighting with live bird of prey shows in the Eagle Theatre and Eaglet Stage (runtime: 45-minutes), or test your sight by viewing eagles through spotting scopes at sites along the Hudson. In addition to educational and conservation resources, there will be food trucks, as well as children’s activities including crafts and interactive games.

While eagles are more likely to hang out in the cold weather, thankfully, participants of EagleFest don’t have to – warm clothing is recommended for outdoor spotting, but the event headquarters and theater space, as well as some spotting sites, will be heated!

For tickets and more information, visit teatown.org/events/eaglefest

Tips for spotting a bald eagle:

What to look for:

• White head and tail with a wingspan of six to seven feet
• Immature eagles (up to five years old) are chocolate brown and mottled with white
• Wings are held straight out, not in a V-shape like turkey vultures

Location tips:

• Use a designated bald eagle viewing site.
• Scan the tree line for eagles that are perched in the tree tops.
• Look overhead for eagles soaring high in the sky.
• Check ice floes or river islands for eagles sunning themselves or enjoying a meal.
• Arrive early (7 to 9 a.m.) or stay late (4 to 5 p.m.), when eagles are most active.
• Be patient - the key to successful viewing is patience.

Eagle Etiquette:

For the safest and least intrusive bald eagle viewing, the DEC recommends the following:

• Remain in or immediately next to your vehicle, and don't approach eagles closer than a quarter mile. Avoid roosting areas.

• Refrain from loud noises: honking horns, door slamming, radios playing, yelling, etc.

• Keep pets at home.

• Use binoculars or spotting scopes instead of trying to get a little closer.

• Don't do anything to try to make the bird fly.

• Respect private property and avoid restricted areas.

(Please note that harassing, disturbing or injuring a bald eagle is a federal offense and carries a penalty of up to $20,000 and/or one year in jail. Bald eagles should remain undisturbed, and it is important that they conserve energy during the winter months. If you see someone harassing or injuring an eagle, or if you spot destruction of eagle habitat or find an injured or dead eagle, report it to DEC’s Wildlife Diversity Unit, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754, 518-402-8920.)

“30 years ago there were very few eagles in the Hudson Valley. They have come back after cleaning up the Hudson River, and everybody’s awareness that we need to protect open space for bald eagles.”
— Phyllis Bock, EagleFest Director of Education
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