In the spring, most migrant eagles return to their home territory, but in recent years more eagle pairs have been making Sullivan County their permanent home. Thanks largely to the efforts of Peter Nye, director of the New York Endangered Species Unit, Department of Environmental Conservation, there are more than 30 breeding pairs of eagles in the state, up from no reproductive eagles in 1976. At least eight of those pairs of eagles are nesting and raising young in this region. The eagles are usually found perching and flying to and from the ice and treeline surrounding the water. Few birds compare with bald eagles.
Turkey vultures lack the white head and tail of an adult eagle.
Ospreys do not frequent eagle habitat until much later in the spring, long after the migrants have left. Immature bald eagle plumage, chocolate brown, along with black beak and brown eyes gradually change each of the first five years. Slowly it turns into the stark white head and tail with yellow beak and eyes of the mature adult. It is important to stay in or close to your vehicle when observing eagles. Movement, noise, loud colors and car lights are upsetting to the birds.