Georgia性视界传媒檚 bald eagle population takes flight as rebound continues years after near extinction |

A recently fledged eaglet harassed by a blue jay at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield in May 2023. Becky Cover/ Georgia Department of Natural Resources

While the well-known story that Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be the national bird may be , it is true that the founding father praised the wild gobbler性视界传媒檚 virtues in a to his daughter.

性视界传媒淔or in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America. Eagles have been found in all Countries, but the Turkey was peculiar to ours,性视界传媒� Franklin wrote in 1784.

Young bald eagle near a nest in north Georgia this spring. (Credit:Becky Cover, special to Georgia DNR)

This Independence Day, Georgia Department of Natural Resources性视界传媒檚 Bob Sargent says Americans should be grateful we wound up with the eagle on our greenbacks, on our politicians性视界传媒� podiums and on soldiers性视界传媒� patches.

性视界传媒淲ith all due respect to Ben Franklin, the wild turkey is a spectacular bird, but I don性视界传媒檛 think there性视界传媒檚 much that性视界传媒檚 more majestic than the sight of a bald eagle soaring over a lake,性视界传媒� said Sargent, who is a program manager with the department. 性视界传媒淪o I think that it性视界传媒檚 very much an appropriate symbol. The fierceness, the wildness, the size, the beauty of the bird, it性视界传媒檚 rareness.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淎nd America is a country that性视界传媒檚 resilient,性视界传媒� he added. 性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檝e come a long way since the 1700s when we were fighting for our independence. And the bald eagle likewise has come a long way since the days that it was an endangered species.性视界传媒�

Sargent is one of the few people who regularly see eagles from above 性视界传媒� part of his job is to get out in a helicopter and take a census of eagle nests across Georgia.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 just kind of an awe-inspiring experience to see Georgia from the perspective of 400 to 600 feet, because we cover so much of it, and to see a small piece of the private lives of these birds is just, it性视界传媒檚 a gift, it性视界传媒檚 a wonderful experience,性视界传媒� he said.

This year性视界传媒檚 survey focused on the coast and the southern part of the state and found the birds nesting at average on the coast to just below average levels in the southern part of the state. Of 176 active nests, 127 were successful, fledging an estimated 190 eaglets.

Accounting for areas not monitored this year, Sargent said the numbers suggest Georgia has maintained over 200 nest territories a year for the past decade.

Sargent said a decline of successful nesting in southern Georgia over last year may be a result of storm damage from last year性视界传媒檚 major hurricanes or a delayed impact from avian influenza, which hit eagles on the coast hard in 2022.

But he said the dip should not detract from the eagle性视界传媒檚 huge success over the past five decades.

性视界传媒淭he overall trend is very encouraging 性视界传媒� 25 years ago, we only recorded 55 nest territories in the whole state and in the decade that was the 1970s there was only one successful nest recorded the entire 10 years,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淪o we性视界传媒檝e come a long way. Bald eagles in Georgia are still rare. It性视界传媒檚 still listed as a threatened species under state law, but it性视界传媒檚 going in the right direction. Since 2015, we know that we性视界传媒檝e had at least 200 nest territories in the state per year, so that性视界传媒檚 very encouraging news.性视界传媒�

The state agency cites a 1972 federal ban on the pesticide DDT, which significantly weakens eagles性视界传媒� eggshells, as a major factor in the birds性视界传媒� recovery, along with the enactment of the federal Clean Water and Clean Air acts, protection through the Endangered Species Act, increased public awareness, restoration of local populations through release programs and forest regrowth.

Eagle earmarks

But Sargent said he is cautious about whether the federal budget cuts could inadvertently harm efforts to help eagles recover.

Funding for conservation programs for non-game species like bald eagles comes from something called the State Wildlife Grants Program, which is an annual congressional allocation.

性视界传媒淚 sometimes have people say to me, 性视界传媒榊our funding should be fine because it性视界传媒檚 coming from hunting licenses,性视界传媒� but that性视界传媒檚 actually not true,性视界传媒� Sargent said. 性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檙e concerned about the future of the State Wildlife Grants Program. We性视界传媒檙e monitoring that. Right now, it性视界传媒檚 unclear what性视界传媒檚 going to happen to that grants program.性视界传媒�

Georgia Wildlife Federation President Mike Worley said his group and others are lobbying members of Congress to keep that funding coming to states.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 not a lot of money across the whole nation. It has been around something like $72 million. Georgia性视界传媒檚 been getting about $1.6 million over the last few years for doing our work. And it性视界传媒檚 really critical for the work that goes on here, whether it性视界传媒檚 work on gopher tortoises or the bald eagle population that we性视界传媒檝e seen tremendous success and tremendous recovery with.性视界传媒�

While charismatic critters like eagles may get a lot of attention, plenty of lesser known plants and animals also need help, Worley said.

性视界传媒淚t will be working on some darters in some of the streams in Georgia, some mussels that live in North Georgia streams 性视界传媒� Georgia is one of the most biologically diverse states in the country, and we性视界传媒檝e got well in excess of 1,000 species that when we look across the state are in some degree of pretty significant concern,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淎nd so the state wildlife action plan which identifies all of those and puts together a methodology for protecting them is really critical, and those state and tribal wildlife grants are the funding mechanism for that effort to recover the species.性视界传媒�