Alliant to secure more power poles to protect eagles

Alliant Energy has notified the raptor Resource Project that it will be fixing power poles in Keokuk County within a six-mile radius of the area where the Decorah bald eaglet "Four" was electrocuted earlier this year.

Alliant spokesman Justin Foss says "Not every pole presents the same hazards for raptors and birds, so we're going to target the ones that have a lot of the extra equipment that is more dangerous and concerning."  The extra equipment, called "cutouts" and "arresters," helps bring the electricity down to a farmstead—and that's been what eagles sometimes get electrocuted on.

"Four" was one of three eaglets that hatched at the Decorah bald eagles' nest in 2014.  During her first month on the wing, she was rescued from a location at the side of a highway, a fence, some deep woods, and a corn field. She remained in the vicinity of the nest longer than any other eaglet in recent years, but left October 19th, heading south and eventually roosting near Lake McBride. She was electrocuted on March 2nd of this year.