This bald eagle from Birds of Prey Northwest greets visitors during a tour of the aviary near St. Maries on Wednesday. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe's new aviary is located adjacent to the Birds of Prey and will work with Birds of Prey Executive Director Janie Veltkamp to receive proper training. The Tribe will be able to collect feathers naturally shed for religious and ceremonial use. (Kathy Plonka/SR)

The first tribal eagle aviary in the Northwest is opening on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation, which will allow the tribe to keep captive bald and golden eagles and collect their feathers for ceremonial and religious use.

The House of the Bald Eagle, known as Tsetkhws Khwa Pacha’lqn in the Coeur d’Alene language, was empty on Wednesday. But the large, screened-in cage has three perches for future residents – eagles that have been injured and can’t survive on their own in the wild.

Seven other tribes have permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to operate eagle aviaries, but all of them are located in the Southwest.

“This is good for eagle conservation, because we have more eagles than we have homes for,” said Jennifer Miller, the agency’s permits branch chief for migratory birds.

Washington, Idaho and Oregon have about 80 raptor rehabilitation facilities, which care for birds that have been shot illegally, or wounded in car collisions or other accidents. Eagles that recover but can’t live on their own are placed with zoos and other educational facilities. As bald and golden eagle populations have rebounded, the need for permanent homes for eagles also has risen, Miller said/Becky Kramer, SR. More here.