Golden Eagle Nesting
Force Closure of Some Trails
Updated March 30, 2011

Golden eagles are commonly found within the 20,000-acre watershed.

During the spring and early summer months, CCWD closes trails and other public areas near active nesting sites.

Two trails open to the public are now closed. You can see the trails on this map .

On the South side of the Watershed:

• Los Vaqueros Trail from the staging area to Canada Trail (1.8 miles)

• Homestead Trail from Los Vaqueros Trail to the Homestead Trail bypass (2 miles).

Golden eagles are protected by state and federal law. Disturbing them can result in fines.

Golden Eagle Facts:

· Nesting Golden Eagles are extremely sensitive to the presence of people. They will leave their nest if they see people nearby. (Their eyesight is much better than human eyesight!)

· People must stay at least ½ mile from the eagles to ensure a successful nest.

· Eagles who are disturbed are likely to leave the nest. This could cause eggs or chicks to die.

· Nesting usually occurs from mid-February to late-June. In 2009, three golden eagles were fledged in the watershed.

· The coastal range in the greater Bay Area has the largest Golden Eagle population in the world.

Some golden eagles live at Los Vaqueros year-round, while others just pass through the area.

Five golden eagles fledged from four nests in the watershed in 2010, the most since 2007 when there were also five golden eagles fledged

In 2009, there were three golden eagles successfully fledged from two
nests, the year before there were four.