Maine Golden Eagle Study

Juvenile golden eagle photo by Elisa Dahlberg

You can make a meaningful contribution to the study simply by keeping an eye out while exploring Maine's outdoors and sharing any photos from your eagle sighting. Whether you spot a golden eagle along a trail or capture one on a trail camera, your photo observations can help us better understand where these birds are.

Before you share a photo with the study, it helps to know exactly what to look for. While both bald and golden eagles live in Maine, golden eagles are often overlooked because they look so much like young bald eagles and are about the same size.

While an adult bald eagle is easy to spot, it takes five years for them to grow their white head and tail feathers. Until then, young bald eagles are very often mistaken for golden eagles. Learning the small details that set them apart will help you spot these elusive raptors and make your reports more accurate.

Identification Resources:

• Maine Eagle Identification
• Golden Eagle Species Page
• Trail Camera Identification Tips
• Cornell All About Birds: Golden Eagle

After you have learned more about eagle identification and have an image you suspect may be a golden eagle, you can share to eBird or by posting in the MAINE Birds Facebook group. After it's confirmed at either site  or if  you do not use those platforms, please share the image on the Maine Golden Eagle Observation Form.

Back to top

Photo by Chris Martin

Using baited trail cameras is one of the most effective ways to detect golden eagles. Hosting a camera site offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to research while learning more about the wildlife in your area.

If you already manage a baited camera site—whether for hunting, photography, or personal interest—you're welcome to join the study. Participation will not interfere with your hunting or other outdoor activities. All photos are valuable, whether or not a golden eagle appears, and study staff are available to help review images when needed.

New to trail camera monitoring or interested in collaborating with others? We encourage you to get involved. Before getting started, please review the Quick Start Guide (PDF) in the Maine Golden Eagle Study Trail Camera Protocol info sheet (PDF) to determine whether hosting a site is a good fit. These resources outline how to select a location, set up your station, and manage it in a way that maximizes the value of your contributions.

When you're ready to participate, sign up using the:

Maine Golden Eagle Trail Camera Volunteer Signup Form

What You'll Need

• A trail camera capable of motion-triggered photos every minute, 24/7, with the ability to share images via SD card or online camera access.
• A suitable site that is accessible to you but not frequently disturbed by others—such as a small forest opening, two-track, or inset area within a larger field bordered by mature trees.
• Lead-free bait, such as roadkill deer or trapped beaver (not harvested or dispatched with lead ammunition). Farm animals may be used if free of chemicals and disease

Follow the study guidelines for camera and bait placement to increase your chance of detecting a golden eagle and maximize the value of your photos to the study.

Once your site is active, maintain the bait and camera regularly and share all photos, regardless of whether golden eagles are present. Consistent monitoring and complete photo sets are critical to the success of the study—and your participation makes a real difference.

Back to top

Photo by Laura Zamfirescu

You can support the study by providing bait for trail camera monitoring sites in your area. Supplying bait helps volunteers maintain active sites and increases the likelihood of detecting golden eagles during the winter monitoring season.

While some volunteers operate camera sites during spring or fall migration, the primary focus of this study is December through March. Bait is not needed during the summer months (May through September).

Bait Guidelines

To protect wildlife and ensure the safety of golden eagles and other scavengers, all bait must meet the following criteria:

• Lead-free: Animals should not be harvested or dispatched using lead ammunition. When eagles ingest lead fragments from carcasses, it can cause poisoning and death. (Learn why choosing lead-free ammunition benefits scavenging wildlife such as eagles.)
• Beaver-sized or larger: Do not use animals smaller than a beaver, as they are quickly scavenged and do not persist long enough for effective monitoring.
• No birds: Do not use domestic or wild bird species due to the risk of spreading avian influenza.
• No predators: Avoid coyotes, foxes, or bobcats, as they may deter golden eagles from visiting the site.
• Livestock requirements: Farm animals must be free of medications, barbiturates, and disease.

If you are interested in contributing, please fill out the Maine Golden Eagle Study – Providing Bait Form. If a trail camera volunteer in your area needs bait, we will share your contact information so you can coordinate directly.

Maine Golden Eagle Study - Providing Bait Form

Back to top

The Golden Eagle Study depends on the help from people all across Maine—and every contribution matters. One of the simplest and most effective ways to support this project is to spread the word, because sharing it connects us with more eyes and creates more opportunities to learn about the golden eagles.

Share a link to this page (mefishwildlife.com/goldeneaglestudy) on your social media pages, and/or download and share the project flier:

Golden Eagle Study Flier (PDF)

Before the start of the study, golden eagles had been documented in 31 townships across 39 unique sites over the past decade. These sightings represent the baseline, or pre-study, observations. 

Since the study began in January 2024, observations have been recorded in 20 townships. Nine of these townships overlap with pre-study observations, while 11 represent new areas where golden eagles were observed for the first time. 

Across both pre-study and current study periods, no golden eagle sightings occurred from May through September. This gap is likely due to the limited use or sharing of baited camera trap photos during these months.  

Observations from 22 sites within 20 townships documented golden eagle presence on 99 days. The most frequently visited site recorded golden eagle presence for 26 days, followed by another site with 14 days. Five additional sites had golden eagle activity ranging from six to nine days, and the remaining sites ranged from one to three days.  

Of the 99 observation days in 2024, 95 were captured via baited trail cameras, three through eBird reports from birders, and one by a camera trapper who photographed a golden eagle flying away by chance with a cell phone. Baited trail cameras have proven highly effective for detecting golden eagles; it's rare to spot them without this method.  

Since the study launched, observations confirming golden eagle presence were submitted as follows: 2024 (13 sites), 2023 (6 sites), 2020 (1 site), 2018 (2 sites), 2016 (1 site), and 2015 (1 site).  

Approximately 45 camera trap sites submitted photos in 2024, and 13 of these sites documented golden eagle activity.  

For study outreach, information has been shared through multiple formats, including email and social media. A presentation on the study was given at the 2024 Raptor Research Foundation conference.