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Home > Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog > Grizzly Watching > Grizzly bear goes for salmon eggs

Grizzly bear goes for salmon eggs

July 13, 2013 Lodge Guide

Grizzly bears can be selective in the parts of the salmon they choose to eat. It all depends on what time it is in the salmon run and who close to hibernation. When the salmon first arrive the bears have been maintaining their weight eating sedge grass and berries so early on grizzlies will eat the entire fish except for the intestines. As time progresses and the bears are less ravenous these less hungry bears consume only the eggs, brains and skin of the salmon, which are the fattiest parts. Near the end of the salmon run if the bear has not attained enough fat content it will return to eating the whole salmon. Also true at certain times of the season is it is common to watch grizzly bears reject the male salmon they catch for the egg rich females. In this picture one can see part of the egg sack exposed after the fat rich belly has been removed.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.

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