The Return of the Bald Eagle
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The Recovery of the Bald Eagle
After many years believing that the bald eagle wasn't far from extinction, this iconic American symbol has made a historic comeback. Experts realized in 1940 that the species had become endangered, and a law was passed to offer it protection from hunters- the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Another danger to the bird was the spread of DDT, which continued to kill eagles even after the hunters stopped. The bald eagle was included on the endangered species list in 1973, and the species hit a low point in 1963 with only 417 breeding pairs.Instead of the expected extinction of the species, the bald eagle has executed a miraculous rise in the number of breeding pairs. There are almost 10,000 breeding pairs today- enough for the species to be removed from the endangered species list. The birds will not be abandoned by wildlife experts, however. Over the next five years or so, the number of bald eagles will be closely monitored. If the monitoring shows a decline in the number of breeding pairs, experts can then move to get the bird back onto the endangered species list.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act will continue to protect the bald eagle even as it stays off the endangered species list. In addition, the eagles also benefit from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act enacted in 1918. This treaty ensured that not only were migratory birds protected in the United States, but from hunting and trade in several other countries as well. This act provides protection in Canada and Mexico for the eagles that migrate across the border and makes it illegal for their nest and eggs, and even their feathers, to be bought or sold.
Further protecting the number of eagles from decline is the ban on DDT in 1972. The food chain was contaminated with DDT, causing a massive decline in the number of eagle breeding pairs. The pesticide washed from the fields to the waterways and eventually into bald eagles. Bald eagles ate fish caught from the contaminated waters. The chemical then affected the eagles by keeping them from producing the hard shells needed to protect the baby eagles until it was time to hatch. The havoc wreaked by DDT made it difficult for the species to reproduce as mother eagles cracked their own thin eggs in an attempt to incubate them. Today, with DDT largely gone from natural bodies of water, bald eagles have every chance to reproduce and grow in numbers.
Bald Eagle Facts
-As a rule, the Bald Eagle is a poor choice for public shows, being timid, prone to becoming highly stressed, and unpredictable in nature.
-Its national significance dates back to June 20, 1782, when the Continental Congress officially adopted the current design for the Great Seal of the United States including a Bald Eagle grasping arrows and an olive branch with its talons.
- While DDT itself was not lethal, it interfered with the bird's calcium metabolism made an eagle either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs: the eagle would ingest the chemical through its food and then lay eggs that were too brittle to withstand the weight of a brooding adult.
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Bald Eagle Figurine
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EL Civics History and Government Unit on the American Bald Eagle with facts, pictures, and lessons for ESL students. Worksheets, lessons, and puzzles. Continue
FACT SHEET WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 Continue
