Month by month

Bald Eagle in March

Where bald eagles are in March, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.

Hawks and eagles (Accipitridae)Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus

March in the Bald Eagle's year

March is a month of transition. Winter visitors begin drifting north, the first spring migrants appear in the South, and resident birds are in full song. Weather swings hard — a warm week can push migration early, and a late blizzard can catch migrants short of food.

For the Bald Eagle specifically, March is a spring month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 61 states and provinces where bald eagles occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.

Where bald eagles are in March

Southern states
absent
Mid-latitudes
year-round resident
Northern states & Canada
absent

In March, bald eagles are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.

Nesting in March

March is inside the Bald Eagle nesting season. Nest: massive stick nest reused and enlarged for years. Clutch 1–3 eggs, incubation 34–36 days, 1 per season.

The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.

What to feed in March

  • Waterfowl, carrion and fish below dams

Now a regular sight over reservoirs and rivers nationwide after its recovery from DDT.

Migration brings new faces to feeders. Keep seed fresh and watch for birds passing through that you won't see again until fall.

Full Bald Eagle diet guide → · Best feeder for bald eagles →

Watching bald eagles this month

In March, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.

The state guides below show exactly where in your region bald eagles are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.

Bald Eagle month by month

Bald Eagle by state

Frequently asked

Where are bald eagles in March?

In March, bald eagles are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.

Do bald eagles nest in March?

Yes — March falls inside the Bald Eagle nesting season at mid-latitudes.

What do bald eagles eat in March?

Waterfowl, carrion and fish below dams.

Sources

  1. Bald Eagle — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Bald Eagle life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Bald Eagle — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.