By Andrew Berry
Bernheim’s Migratory Nomad: Golden Eagle Hermes Heads South Towards Kentucky
Since February 2024, Bernheim Forest and Arboretum has followed the remarkable journey of Hermes, an adult male golden eagle whose movements continue to redefine what we know about eastern golden eagle ecology. A true migratory nomad, Hermes ranged from the far reaches of northern Canada to the heart of the eastern United States, moving fluidly across landscapes, watersheds, and seasons.
Now, as winter tightens its grip across much of the Lower 48, Hermes appears to be responding in kind. After months spent in northern Québec and Ontario, he is once again heading south at an increasingly notably pace. Locked in winter’s chill, much of the northern landscape has become increasingly inhospitable perhaps explaining his renewed push southward.
We were excited to see Hermes leave Canada in January, although true to form he did not rush the journey. Instead, he lingered in Canada well longer than most eastern golden eagles which cross the Great Lakes as early as October. His crossing was unique too, flying over 10 miles of open water between the North Channel Islands of Lake Huron, from Marquette Island to Bois Blanc Island, before continuing south into Michigan.
Once back in the United States, Hermes followed a familiar and telling route. Moving south through central Michigan, he passed through a chain of large, protected landscapes including state forests, wildlife management areas, nature sanctuaries, and conservation easements before entering Indiana. He is currently in the region of the Hoosier National Forest, an area that has proven important not only to Hermes, but to other Golden Eagles previously tracked from Bernheim.
This pathway mirrors patterns seen in other tracked Bernheim eagles, including a sweeping arc around Indianapolis, followed by movement through Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County State Park, Morgan–Monroe State Forest, and the extensive forest blocks of south-central Indiana. These landscapes form a critical winter stronghold for wide-ranging raptors, offering topography, forest cover, and prey availability that remain functional even during colder months.
In just the past month alone, Hermes has used more than 51 protected areas across the Lower 48, an astonishing figure that underscores how conservation works not as isolated parcels on a map, but as interconnected systems. From federal lands and state forests to private conservation easements and nature preserves, Hermes is stitching together a continent-wide network of habitat through his movements.
How Far Will Hermes Go This Winter?
This brings us to the question now on everyone’s mind: How far south will Hermes travel this year?
Will he cross the Ohio River once again into Kentucky? And if so, is there a chance that this migratory nomad might return to Bernheim Forest, where his tracked journey began?
We want to hear your prediction! Cast your vote in the poll →
For animals that fly such as golden eagles, songbirds, bats, and even insects, connectivity is not limited to continuous corridors on the ground. While physical, on-the-ground connections remain a critical conservation goal, Hermes shows us that protected areas can also function as a chain of stepping stones. Understanding how these linkages operate across North America is essential for conserving wildlife that depends on movement at massive scales.
Hermes’s story is not just about one eagle. It is about how landscapes function together, how protection matters even when fragmented, and how conservation decisions made locally can ripple across a continent.
Bernheim’s golden eagle research is made possible through the continued support of the Judge Boyce Martin Jr. Birds of Bernheim sponsors, the Beckham Bird Club, the Kentucky Audubon Council, Cellular Tracking Technologies, Conservation Science Global, the Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group, and many other dedicated partners and supporters.
