The Status of Bald Eagles in the Lakes Region

By Mark Okrant

Few elements of our nation’s wildlife population have attracted the public’s attention to the same degree as the majestic bald eagle. From the very beginning of this country’s history, the great bird’s status has been a matter of controversy. At that time, many felt the bald eagle was the obvious pick to be the United States’ national bird. After all, it was beautiful, had a large wingspan, and soared to great heights. Furthermore, its range was exclusive to the North American continent. However, not everyone was ready to anoint Haliaeetus leucocephalus as our national bird. Even Benjamin Franklin waded in on the debate. Franklin and others made reference to the eagle’s scavenging and kleptoparasitism (tendency to steal food from other birds) as reasons to rebuff its selection. Finally, in 1782, the bald eagle was chosen ahead of the wild turkey and other candidates.

Both male and female bald eagles possess unmistakable features. Each has a body consisting of elegant brown feathers, white tail feathers, a bright white face and neck, a yellow beak and talons, and piercing yellow eyes. Eagles in the wild have an average lifespan of 20 years, but can live decades longer. Adult males will grow to be three-feet long and weigh approximately 10 pounds. Their wingspans are between six and seven and one-half feet. Of interest, female bald eagles are one-third larger than males. 

Pairs bond for life. The same pair meets during breeding season, and builds or reuses a nest. Bald eagle nests are huge; they may be nine and one-half feet in diameter, 20 feet deep, and weigh as much as one ton. Sitting in their nest, very high above the surface below, a pair raises from one to three young per breeding season, while sharing all aspects of parental duties. When they are not breeding, adult eagles tend to live solitary, independent lives. 

Some people may be unaware how close the country came to losing bald eagles forever. Sixty years ago, chemistry, technology, and nature had conspired to dramatically reduce the population of bald eagles. Beginning in the 1940s, production of a synthetic insecticide called Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (or DDT) had a disastrous effect on the raptors’ eggs, therefore drastically reducing the population of healthy offspring. Meanwhile, technological innovations such as the deadly combination of roads and speeding automobiles were causing the premature death of scavenging eagles. In addition, a number of bald eagles were lost to the ravages of nature, in the form of attacks by older/bigger chicks on their younger siblings, nest collapses, violent weather bursts, and predation by mammals and other birds. Consequently, the population of bald eagles during the middle of the 20th century was reduced to approximately 400 nesting pairs nationwide.

Here in New Hampshire, the go-to authority on bald eagles is Chris Martin, senior wildlife biologist at the Audubon Society on 84 Silk Farm Road in Concord. Working frequently with Dave Anderson, senior director of education for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, as well as officials at New Hampshire Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others, Martin has responsibility for bald eagle monitoring and management programs within the state. Clearly, efforts by Martin, Anderson, and numerous others to protect eagle populations have been successful. This is evidenced by the fact that bald eagles were removed from the state’s Endangered Species list in 2008, and from the less severe Threatened list in 2017. 

By 1980, bald eagles had nearly disappeared from New Hampshire. During his tenure at the Audubon Society, Martin’s monitoring duties have included documenting bald eagle populations and their success at breeding. He reports that there were 76 territorial pairs of bald eagles in New Hampshire in 2020. By counting numbers of incubated eggs, hatched young, and fledglings, Martin determined that, coincidentally, 76 young living bald eagles were produced in 2020. Credit for achieving this level of success is the responsibility of the raptors themselves; however, the eagles received a significant assist from Martin and others who work at mitigating successful reproduction. These people are ever vigilant during reproduction season, monitoring nesting sites with the intention of preventing nesting failure. This is accomplished by some tried-and-true techniques such as ‘sheet metal wrap’, wherein wide metallic bands are wrapped around trees that house nests. This procedure provides protection against potential predators that attempt to climb up to nests. 

Today, there are an estimated 10,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles in the U.S., with habitats in 49 of the 50 states, Hawaii being the exception. Martin points to the situation in New Hampshire with considerable pride. Twelve years ago, there were 20 pairs of nesting bald eagles in the state; six years ago, that figure reached 40 pairs. The number of bald eagles is approximately 80 at present. This represents a doubling of the bald eagle population in New Hampshire every six years. While this year’s eagle census has not been completed, Martin estimates that the population will have increased by at least five percent since one year ago. According to Martin, “We are getting close to the state’s carrying capacity for sustaining eagles.”

Like elsewhere in New England, bald eagles generally remain here in the Lakes Region throughout the year, including the winter season. Juvenile eagles will leave the nest during the late summer or fall, but won’t travel more than 100 miles afield. For anyone hoping for a bald eagle sighting, there are presently more than 12 nesting pairs living within the Lakes Region. The Department of Fish and Game will be traveling around New Hampshire counting chicks as well as fledgling eagles, the name given to young birds that are just beginning to fly. 

If you are one of those people who have not seen a live bald eagle, a visit to New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center is highly recommended. At the center, a number of injured, non-releasable raptors are available for the visiting public to view. This includes one 25 to 30 year old bald eagle. The raptors can be visited on Tuesdays through Fridays, from 11 am to 4 pm. 

For more information about the center’s schedule, visit www.nhaudubon.org.