The Viking’s season has concluded, but eagles continue to visit U.S. Bank Stadium, where a pair of bald eagles has been sighted perched at the highest point of a stadium wall.
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The football season has ended for the Minnesota Vikings, but there’s still activity at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis in the form of a pair of bald eagles perched atop a wall of windows. Bird enthusiasts have observed these eagles on the southeast side of the stadium, a sighting initially reported by stadium staff in January of 2023. Despite thorough inspections revealing no evidence of a nest on stadium grounds, authorities, including Audubon Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, were notified.
The presence of these eagles is attributed to a healthy eagle population and mild winter conditions, according to Ed Hahn, the director of marketing and communications at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Eagles, known for hunting near the Mississippi River, are attracted to high perches like those offered by the stadium’s architecture.
While it’s uncertain whether the eagles are local residents or migratory visitors, the Twin Cities lie within the Mississippi Flyway, a migratory route for birds from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. Sushma Reddy, a University of Minnesota professor specializing in ornithology, notes that urban spaces, including the stadium, can serve as habitats for birds, which adapt easily to such environments.
Concerns persist about bird collisions with the stadium’s windows, though eagles are less likely to collide due to their behavior and diet. The Lights Out program, which involves turning off stadium lights at night to aid bird navigation, continues to be implemented by the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority.
Madison Roth, a University of Minnesota student reporter, contributed to this report for the Star Tribune.
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