Bald eagle recovery soars in Alabama

They are unmistakable.

That signature plumage of white head and tail. The large brown body. The wingspan of up to 8 feet. The bald eagle, our national symbol, was once on the brink of extinction. When America adopted the bald eagle as its symbol in 1782, the fledgling nation may have had as many as 100,000 nesting eagles, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. By 1963, there were only 487 nesting pairs left in the country, according to the service. The large birds of prey were placed on the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967.

By the early 1950s Alabama had no resident bald eagles nesting in the state, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Sure, there was the occasional transient wintering in North Alabama, along the Tennessee River and Lake Guntersville areas. But once the weather began warming, the few visitors headed back north.

Through protective measures and restocking efforts, the bald eagle has made a remarkable comeback nationwide, and in Alabama. On June 28, 2007, the service announced the recovery of the bald eagle and its removal from the list of threatened and endangered species.  There were an estimated 77,000 plus bald eagles in the country then.

In Alabama the recovery effort began modestly enough in 1984 when the conservation department’s Alabama Nongame Wildlife Program decided to attempt to restore Alabama’s bald eagle nesting population. A restocking program began in 1985, when five juvenile eaglets were released in Jackson County.

The idea was that the birds would return to where they learned to fly to nest and reproduce. Early on, the nest sites were so few, game officials could count them on one hand.

Now, there are so many active nests, the state has lost count. There is an estimated 150 to 200 nesting pairs in the state, said Roger Clay, of the nongame program.

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“It’s still a thrill”

Michael Gaines, of Wetumpka, remembers the first time he saw a bald eagle soaring over Lake Martin. His family has had a modest cabin on the lake for decades.

“It was the summer of 2003, like mid-August,” the 44-year-old said. “We were out on the pontoon boat, and I saw this large bird come out of one of the sloughs. At first I thought I had to be mistaken. Then it wheeled and I saw that head and tail. No doubt about what it was.

“We see eagles regularly on the lake now. A couple of years ago I saw one perched on a tree in Gold Star Park in downtown Wetumpka. Whenever I see one, it’s still a thrill.”

The primary prey of bald eagles is fish, so they nest along rivers and large lakes. But they can pick more inland digs. Andy Coleman, program director for the Birmingham Audubon, tracks several nests throughout the state conducting a study on the birds’ diet. One of the nests he is watching is in south Montgomery County, in an area pockmarked by large and small farm ponds.

“Eagles can be very territorial,” he said. “It might be that this pair picked this location to nest because they may have been pushed out of more suitable habitat. But, they seem to be doing well.

“Eagles can adapt to being close to humans, even though nest sites near built up areas is rare. I know of a nest in North Alabama on a golf course, so it does occur.”

A Facebook Page, Bald Eagles of Alabama, posts photos and sightings of the birds from its members. The information comes in from throughout the state.

Seeing the eagles is a delight for avid birders and casual wildlife observers alike, according to the site’s postings.

It’s difficult to determine the sex of the birds, since there are no distinguishing markings between male and female. Females though, are usually larger, weighing up to 14 pounds with a wingspan of 8 feet. Males usually run in the 10 pound range with a 6-foot wingspan. Young and juvenile bald eagles retain a mostly dark brown hue until they are four to five years old when they develop their characteristic coloring.

They mate for life. But if one bald eagle dies, the survivor will accept another mate. They may live 15-25 years in the wild, and up to 30 in captivity.

Long Way Back

A lethal combination of events led to the near extinction. Early on virgin forests were cleared leading to habitat destruction, according to the service. Animals that eagles eat, shorebirds and waterfowl, also declined because of overhunting. Eagles were shot because they were thought to threaten livestock.

But the deadliest blow came after World War II and the widespread uses of DDT. A powerful insecticide, it received the nickname “Drop Dead Twice.” The compound did not kill eagles, but DDT residue washed into the rivers and streams where eagles hunted. It accumulated in adult eagles and caused them to lay thin shelled eggs that cracked from the weight of the incubating parents before the chicks could hatch.

So, DDT was banned. Killing of eagles was outlawed. Water quality was improved throughout the nation. Nests were protected. In Alabama, it is illegal to remove either active or inactive nests from trees.

And the nests can be huge. In Alabama, eagles seem to prefer large pines, whose canopies can support the sheer size and weight of the nests, Coleman said. A nesting pair commonly adds large sticks and other items to their home each year that they use the nest, he said. It’s not uncommon for some nests to weigh a ton, service data shows.

Restocking efforts, called “hacking” took place across the country. It was those efforts that proved key in Alabama, Clay said. In 1987, the first confirmed nesting attempt by bald eagles occurred in Alabama since 1949, conservation department figures show. It was not successful. In 1991, there were five nests statewide, with two including the first confirmed successful nests by bald eagles in Alabama in 42 years. Each successful nest had one eaglet.

By 2005, the department was monitoring 56 nests in the state.

Life is difficult for young eagles, with 50 percent of fledglings dying, Clay said. Of those that make it, somewhere between 15 and 20 percent live to maturity at four to five years old, service data reflects. From 1985-1991, wildlife biologists released or “hacked” 91 juveniles in the state. From those efforts, and natural migration of bald eagles to the state as the population bounced back nationwide, the Alabama population began to soar.

“We have been incredibly successful,” Clay said.

But still it’s a precarious situation, Coleman said.

“The state has such abundant water resources that are important to the species,” he said. “So we are blessed to have such a great resource available to us and the fauna and flora of the state. They are able to breed successfully because there is good habitat here and good prey species here.

“But we need to do what we can to preserve their habitat. Because if there is good habitat, more than likely, the species will stay and continue to flourish.”

Bald eagle facts

• It is the only eagle unique to North America.
• Nests are sometimes used year after year and can reach weights of 2,000 pounds.
• Bald eagles pair for life, but if one dies, the survivor will accept a new mate.
• Bald eagles get their distinctive white head and tail only after they reach maturity at four to five years of age.
• Females can weigh 14 pounds with a wingspan of up to 8 feet. Males are smaller, coming in at 10 pounds with a wingspan of up to 6 feet.

Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.