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Kansas City, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partners will host the 21st annual Eagle Days at Smithville Lake on Jan. 9 and 10. The right combination of weather that's cold, but not too cold, can concentrate waterfowl and eagles at the lake north of Smithville and Kansas City. Regardless of weather, the indoor conservation exhibits and live raptor shows are always popular. All programs are free and all ages welcome.
Conservation displays, crafts for children, and a program with live predatory birds will be available indoors at the Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse, 18212 Golf Course Drive, Smithville, Mo. Operation Wildlife will showcase live raptors. Other exhibits including wild birds rehabilitated from injuries by the Lakeside Nature Center will be on display.
A wild eagle viewing station will be set up, with spotting scopes and guides, at the Highway W boat ramp. The ramp is near a waterfowl refuge and a prime eagle viewing area. If weather conditions move eagles and waterfowl to other locales, information on a change in viewing station location will be available at the event.
Eagle Days event hours are 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 9, and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 10. Operation Wildlife will present four shows on Saturday and three on Sunday. For more information about Eagle Days and live bird show times, call the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at 816-532-0174.
Eagle Days at Smithville Lake is a partnership between MDC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Clay County Parks and Recreation Department, and other public and private conservation partners.
Also in MDC's Kansas City Region, an Eagle Days event will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Schell City Community Center and at MDC's Schell-Osage Conservation Area. The area is in Vernon County northeast of Nevada, Mo. Raptor programs and conservation displays will be at the community center. Guided eagle viewing will be offered at the lakes at the nearby conservation area. For information, call MDC's El Dorado Springs office, 417-876-5226.
For information about these and other Eagle Days events throughout Missouri, and for eagle viewing sites throughout winter, visit mdc.mo.gov/events/eagledays.
