Flushing Responses of Wintering Bald Eagles to Military Activity

We studied flushing responses of wintering bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) to military firing activity, helicopter overflights, and boating on the Nisqually River and Muck Creek on the Fort Lewis Army Reservation, Washington, during 1991-94. Eight percent of 1,452 eagles monitored near Muck Creek flushed during 373 firing events; 45% from ordnance explosions, 9% from automatic weapons fire, 6% from artillery impacts, 4% from mortar impacts, and 3% from small arms fire. Flushing by eagles decreased with increasing distance from firing events (16% flushed at 0.5-1.0 km, 9% at 1-2 km, 4% at 2-4 km, and