Usually the freezers at the American Bald Eagle Foundation would be full of food – both purchased and donated – for the resident birds this time of year, but avian curator Kathy Benner said her regular sources have been silent. 

“I’m starting to get worried,” Benner said. 

Generally, the center buys rabbit, quail, rats, mice, chicks and other types of food this time of year – but it’s expensive. 

“[Donations] get us through the winter,” she said. 

This year, Benner said staff have gotten some eulachon from people, but their moose meat donations have stalled.

“This year I have gotten none,” she said. “Usually, people bring just scraps that we cut up and put in bags. We feed those to the eagles.”

Benner said if people want to help, they can bring most frozen game meat to the foundation. 

“We can have a little bit of freezer burn, but nothing too bad,” she said. “Nothing smoked or marinated, just plain meat.” 

They’ll also take almost any fish, though no white-fleshed ones. 

“It sounds terrible, but they won’t eat the white fish. The texture changes in the freezer, so they won’t eat it,” Benner said. “They’re picky little brats.”