The Bald Eagle is the national emblem of the United States. It was chosen to represent us shortly after we became a nation. It and the Golden Eagle are protected by law. During the 1960s and 1970s Bald Eagle numbers plummeted and the species disappeared from many areas as a result of pesticide poisoning. Recognition of the problems, banning of some pesticides, and effective conservation and reintroduction efforts brought Bald Eagles back from the brink of extinction. Many of those efforts made use of Bald Eagle eggs and chicks from Florida where numbers had remained high. As human populations have grown in Florida, old growth forest has continued to decline – especially in coastal areas – which are major Bald Eagle food resource areas. Protection of an eagle nest near large apartment complexes is only part of an answer for eagle conservation. They also need replacement nest trees, protection from disturbance, and healthy fish populations in clean coastal waters.
Bald Eagle
