It is a annual tradition for eagles and humans.
Celebrating its 18th year, Ameren Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks Eagle Days returns Saturday and Sunday at various locations in Lake Ozark, including watching wild eagles nesting and in flight.
The first live eagle program took place in 1999 and attracted 651 participants, according to lakeoftheozarkseagledays.com. More than 3,700 people attended last year, making it one of the most successful Eagle Days in years past.
Program highlights include live eagles from the World Bird Sanctuary with naturalists on hand to answer questions at Osage National Golf Resort, with programs beginning on the hour each day of the event. Visitors can watch wild eagles at Willmore Lodge and below the Bagnell Dam on the Osage River. Activities are also at School of the Osage Heritage Elementary and the Osage River Access.
Dickerson Park Zoo representatives will provide two programs at Heritage Elementary each day of the event, first sharing its Eagles of North America (American Bald Eagle) program. The second program is the Day Shift (hawk), Night Shift (owl) and Garbage Gal (turkey vulture) program. The shows begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday, rotating every hour, the website said. The school will also have activities for children such as face painting and coloring and photo contests. Vendors will include Ameren Missouri, Jim Rathert Photography & Mugs, Missouri Department of Conservation, Master Naturalist Lake of the Ozarks chapter, Missouri State Parks, Adair’s Animal Nuisance Trapping, Missouri Highway Patrol and Water Patrol and Lake Area Camera Club.
The event is 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday. It is free and open to the public.
Lake of the Ozark Eagle Days is a collective partnership with the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau, Osage National Golf Resort, FaceLift Marketing, School of the Osage Heritage Elementary and Missouri Master Naturalist. For more information, call 1-800-386-5253 or visit lakeoftheozarkseagledays.com or the event’s Facebook page.