Yukla Memorial eagle pen offers a glimpse of Alaska

  • Published
  • By Chris McCann
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Near the 3rd Wing Headquarters building on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a large fenced area with a small building that might be easily overlooked - unless one sees the pair of bald eagles in it.

Primary caretaker Tech. Sgt. Brian Lee often visits the Yukla Memorial pen, feeding the eagles and cleaning up shed feathers.

"I've always been interested in falcons and raptors," said Lee, a weapons loader with the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

"I met with the person who was taking care of them and volunteered in 2008, and over time I ended up in charge."

Lee does not touch the eagles - it's forbidden, except to catch them if they are injured and need treatment.

They're wild eagles who were injured as adults, and while they "talk" to Lee and seem to like him, they are not domesticated, he explained.

"They're very clever," he said. "They get to know people." Lee whistles at them, and they chatter back from their perches. "They seem to enjoy having company," he said.
Periodically he picks up the larger shed feathers in the pen.

It's illegal to own any part of an eagle, dead or alive, except for registered Native Americans.

The volunteers at the pen gather the feathers, and when they have amassed enough, they ship them to the National Eagle Repository at Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver, Colo., where feathers and other parts are distributed to natives who request them.
Visitors to the eagle pen should not pick up any feathers around the cage, Lee said.
The eagles, named Notch Wing and One-Eyed Jack, are disabled - one perch bears a sign reading "Reserved for Handicapped Eagle" - and cannot be released into the wild.
Instead, they receive salmon and other donated food, and serve as both mascots and tributes to wounded veterans.

The display was the brainchild of Kerry Seifert, when he was enlisted in the Air Force in the late 80s, according to a history written by Maj. Eric Ashman.

Seifert was an experienced falconer, and since Elmendorf Air Force Base was home to the F-15 Eagle, he proposed a display of eagles who could not be returned to the wild.
The wing commander supported the idea, and the display was constructed by volunteers and the civil engineering flight, using donated and surplus materials.

After two years of planning and construction, the first three eagles arrived in 1991.
Only one of the original eagles remains; the other two died of avian botulism about 11 years ago. Notch Wing became ill, but recovered after intensive treatment.

One-Eyed Jack lost an eye and his wing was too badly broken to heal, so he came to the pen in 1999.

Notch Wing was wounded by a gunshot; his wing healed, but he cannot grow a full set of flight feathers, so he too is unreleasable.

He came to Elmendorf in 1992.

The birds are a big hit, especially during air shows and other large events.
"We've had several people who used to help with them come to visit, and they really enjoy seeing them," Lee said.

"We also get people asking questions, of course...we encourage people to come and visit."

The caretakers also conduct small tours for home-school groups, Boy Scout troops, and other groups who want to learn more about eagles.

"We can always use donations," Lee said. "If there aren't enough donations, we, the volunteers, pay for their food."

Steaks and turkey legs are occasional treats, Lee said.

Usually the eagles eat donated salmon, trout and hooligan; they don't care for halibut.
The caretakers also accept raw unprocessed unsmoked poultry, game birds, or meat as long as it isn't ground. As long as food isn't severely freezer burned, the eagles will eat it.
"People can drop food in the ice chest in the entryway of the building," he said. "And visitors are welcome any time."