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Bald Eagles Bounce Back
Michelle McCoy
Patriotic Pennsylvanians will be glad to know that their nation's symbol of
freedom, the Bald Eagle, is once again thriving within their state's
borders.
The bald eagle was first put on the national endangered species list in 1967 when fewer than 500 nests were found in the contiguous United States. The Bald Eagle was nearly snuffed out by the pesticide, DDT, used to kill mosquitoes during the 1940s and 1950s and by poachers who shot down the protected species.
The reintroduction of the bald eagle to Pennsylvania began in 1983, less than 20 years ago when permission was received to take 12 eaglets from nests in Saskatchewan, Canada. At the end of the seven-year project, 88 Bald Eagles were released into Pennsylvania. Since the release the population has increased more than 150 percent. In fact, there are 63 known Bald Eagle nest's in Pennsylvania alone, up from 55 in 2001. "The Bald Eagle's comeback is no accident. It's the result of improving environmental conditions since the banning of DDT," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The Bald Eagle inhabits aquatic ecosystems, thus the reason that many of the nests are located near water such as the Green Lane Reservoir, on Lake Arthur and on the Frances E. Walter Dam. They weigh seven to eleven pounds and have a six to seven foot wingspan. And although their most notable feature is their white head and tail, these features do not appear until the bird is four to five years old.
As the Bald Eagle's numbers increase, so do the observations of their nesting and movements. Nests near Lancaster and Lebanon counties produced three young for the first time after failing last year when their eggs were pilfered by crows. Three chicks near Haldeman Island were found dead, presumably by poison, by Land Management Officer Steve Bernardi who routinely monitors their activity. One last observation is that Bald Eagles are becoming more accustomed to humans, moving closer to populated areas. So be on the look out for the Bald Eagle near you!
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