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Subscribe to RSSThe majestic bird that was once on the endangered species list is now nesting in Cook County. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
By Kevin Tibbles
NBC News correspondent
CHICAGO -- Stan Wandersee has lived in the same house in St. Paul, Minn., for 50 years; and he’s never had any new neighbors quite as special as the ones who’ve moved in this spring. High up a tree, across the street, is a family of bald eagles.
“This is a gift of nature that has been bestowed upon us,” he said.
There was a time in America when the bald eagle was on the endangered species list and facing extinction. The deadly combination of pesticides (namely DDT), and urban sprawl, had all but driven these magnificent birds out of the lower 48 states. In the mid-60s just 450 nesting pairs remained.
“DDT was a really big problem for the bald eagle,” said Megan Ross of Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. “Bald eagles in particular were not able to form appropriate shells, and so when they weren’t able to reproduce their numbers really plummeted.
Fortunately for the birds, and for us, times have changed. DDT was banned nationwide in 1972 and, in many cases, humans are starting to pay more attention to their natural surroundings. Today this majestic symbol of America is thriving; so much so, it is returning to areas it fled decades ago.
In the case of Chicago…make that 100 years!
According to wildlife officials in Cook County, where Chicago is situated, there has not been a bald eagle nest in more than a century. This year that changed. Less than a half-hour from the skyscrapers and bustle of the Windy City’s urban ‘Loop’ there sits an eagle's nest perched way up in the trees of a local forest preserve.
Chris Merenowicz, assistant director of resource management at the preserve, nimbly made his way through the underbrush; guided NBC News to the side of a hidden little lake that sits not far from a busy thoroughfare. He stopped and brought his binoculars to his eyes and whispered: “She’s in there looking at us.”
One hundred yards or so on the far bank is a massive wooden structure that is more tree fort than nest. The bright white head is visible for all to see.
“To see a pair carry off a nest like this within 30 minutes of downtown Chicago is unbelievable!” he said.
Dr. Megan Ross, Director of Animal Care, Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago and Stan Wandersee a bird enthusiast, from St Paul MN on the importance of the bald eagle population making a comeback in urban areas.
And for Merenowicz, a pair of eagles settling down in this neck of the woods is a wonderful confirmation. “I think it’s the environment we’re growing up in right now. A whole new generation who are more aware of the environmental ethic. That’s what’s gonna get us over the hump that we were behind before.”
The eagle is of such interest that when a pair built a nest at the Alcoa facility in Davenport, Iowa the employees set up a web cam to monitor their progress. The eggs were laid, and hatched. The eaglets are thriving; and millions have tuned in to watch along the way.
Today there are more than 9,000 nesting pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states and, who knows, maybe you too could be as lucky as Stan Wandersee and find a couple taking residence across from your home.
Leave a Comment:
Re: bald eagles and DDT: Megan Ross and thousands of other "bald eagle experts" need to get their facts straight regarding bald eagles. Here are the documented facts. Bald eagles were reported threatened with extinction by 1921. The bald eagle had vanished from New England by 1937. In 1940 Congress passed the "Bald Eagle Protection Act". In 1943 DDT was first used in Italy; DDT was not used in the US until after WW2. DDT was banned in 1972 but the bald eagle population was already bouncing back (from 417 to 791 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states). What went wrong? Poor science was accepted as fact. In 1956 a bogus scientist named Dewitt fed experimental birds large amounts of DDT while restricting CALCIUM from thier diet and claimed the DDT caused their egg failure. Calcium is essential for eggshell production (for those of you who never got to feed oyster shell to your chickens). I, too, have enjoyed observing the resurgence of the bald eagles and hope it continues. I close with a quote from Mark Twain: "It aint what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure that just aint so".
Poor misunderstood DDT. Now that you have finished with your lovely defense of the substance, let's get real:
There's plenty enough evidence or, at very least, suspicion as to the toxicity of DDT in relation to a wide range of living organisms, including humans. I'm glad we chose to err on the side of caution. That is why it amazes me when I hear presidential candidates pledging to roll back environmental protection or eliminate the EPA. Are they pro cancer? Pro diabetes? I believe the answer to that is more like pro Chemical industry and Koch Brothers, the hell with everything else.
Mark ... I haven't heard anyone defending DDT, they are just stating the fact that it was not proven as the culprit, and in fact most of the data says it wasn't the cause. Your other arguments are just silly.
There is a children's book on the bald eagles of Decorah IA that tells the story of that family's development through the eyes of a child. Reading it is a way for children to become more interested in reading, nature, and bald eagles, and even in interacting more with adults who can read it with them. Three Little Eagles and How They Grew: Jacob's Story is based on the 2011 webcam program of the Raptor Resource Project in Decorah, but fits the scene of the 2012 family, too.
Stating facts is nasty business these days. :-)
How predictable: another uninformed rant that pesticides, somehow, don't affect wildlife. A series of sophomoric references to obscure inanities with no documentation, therefore no foundation in fact. Really, "Mark from Iowa," it's just tiresome.
What's true is that, while it worked, and at least in third-world countries, DDT greatly helped to keep malaria vectors at bay, and the harm it did was outweighed by the good it did. Of course, mosquitoes started to develop resistance, and we never had to systematically control their population here in the U.S. just to survive, but my point is that we can't vilify "chemicals" (oh, the misuse of that word) as if their sole purpose were to obliterate species and deform babies. Having that mentality is tantamount to ignoring their adverse effects or saying that we don't need an EPA. Both extremes are problematic. Hating "chemicals" is a luxury only first-world people can afford—assessing both their benefits and risks is our sole obligation.
Junk Science. Russ is watching too much Fox news. He's quoting almost verbatim from an old article that is almost alone in touting that point of view. When faced with conflicting reports, go back to the original research: It's very clear that DDT has a detrimental effect on the shells of certain birds where it gets into the food chain. There was a documented drop in the number of eagle offspring until DDT was banned in 1972.
It is wonderful to actually see these birds again in the wild. While I don't see many here in Colorado, I have had the pleasure of observing eagles in Washington State and in Alaska. I always feel like I've been honored by nature when I see one.
Geeeee in Chicago even? Now whats so special about Chicago? Now why do a story about this happening in Chicago, it wouldnt be that some piece of offal from Chicago is in a campaign, now would it?
You only have one good thing going for you MSNBC, you are totally Transparent.
DDT is still used in some countries for mosquito/malaria control. the difference is that the actual quantities used for mosquito control there are quite small when compared to the industrial quantities that were being used for agriculture, home pest control and nearly everything else in the US.
it is allowed for mosquito control in malaria-prone countries and globally banned for agricultural use
if used very sparingly, it will break down sufficiently that it won't cause great harm at the top of the food chain
in response to russ, you have this about bald eagles, so what was the problem with hawks, falcons, and virtually all of the raptors, all of which were suffering dramatic declines in population that started recovering after DDT was banned in the US?
Radical1, It gets worse, the birds are actually in North Aurora,Il. 30 minutes west of downtown,as the Eagle flies that is!
I presume that fenderbluesjr is referring to the mated pair at the Moosheart property. They have actually been around for three or four years-despite their nest being completely destroyed by a storm/tornado event. The area also has a good number of Red Tail Hawks, Owls, some seriously large Ravens....But rather than trying to pinpoint one event, or one variable as the cause of the near destruction of species, we need to look at the complete and total combination of things. We, as a society, do a great deal of things differently than we did 10, 20, or 30 years ago. It is the overall changes combined that have served to help restore wildlife to these areas. Probably the biggest change is that of attitude, no longer looking at these things as alien, or pests in our neighborhoods.
Here in Ohio I was lucky to have seen a Bald Eagle nest; it was massive! Also got to see the bird itself fly over the car (it was the Sandusky-Marblehead area) and they too are huge. Hope to see more, as a park refuge over towards Elyria has a nest as well... they said, whether believeable or not, that it weighs close to a ton (looks like it). Even local hawks are impressive and making a comeback.
Like with most everything, it's a combination of all, not just DDT (though it's not something I'd want in my diet). Over hunting played it's role as did kills for similar reasons to wolf knock offs. Indians managed to live with and revere the eagles for who knows how long; over populate and find $$ signs and all changes. When I was young in Indian Guides (similar to cub scouts) I'd recieve some eagle feathers for achievements; I didn't know how they were gleened until later in life, as I didn't understand the vastness of the feather harvesting and thought, as with other feathers I'd gotten on my own, they were 'found'.
I hope they do make a mass comeback across our nation, and it seems they're well on their way. As I'd said earlier, they are impressive to see, to say the least. I'd bet even my Dane would think before barking at one!
danwill, the population of raptor was in decline before DDT due to many causes, among them that Oology
was very popular in the late 1800's through the 1920's. The population of raptors increased during the DDT years due to supression of mosquitoe born deseases. In my area the raptor population was pretty high and diverse in the 60's and 70's and included eagles of both kinds. For some reason our eagle population started down in the late 80's and it is rare to see them here now. When west Nile went through in the early 2000's, our raptor population was almost totally destroyed and the jackrabbits got out of hand. It was about five years before the falcon population recovered much and I still don't see many roughleggs which were common my whole life untill WNV.
I'm just happy to see them returning to suburban areas. They truly are amazing and beautiful birds.
Oh barf-o-rama Russ from Iowa, it's called cognitive dissonance and I agree with others its getting soooo old. I throw up in my mouth every time I hear these anti-science crack pots. I do realize one of the side effects from over population is the fact that the fringe element also grows, but I am still hopeful that the old guard dies off and it replaced by people that cherish science, believe in the rights of all people and keep religion out of politics and science. Here is a scary article for ya:
Low IQ & Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice
Excellent to see these magnificent birds make a comeback.
Radical 1-You are a moronic piece of @!$%# and if they suspend me from Newsvine for telling you, that's just fine.
The notion that DDT was not detrimental to birds in general, birds that eat fish more particularly, and bald eagles especially is just a delusional fanatasy. The delusional fantasy stems from reading one hack 'news' article followed by a complete and total failure to conduct any meanngful research.
Yes, yes, bald eagle populations were declining before DDT was first manufactured in 1939. People hunted the birds for their feathers, their habitat was destroyed left ad right, humans out-hunted them for their preferred meals, they were susceptible to lead poisoning and maladies caused by other chemicals, they got electrocuted by high power transmission lines, blah, blah, blah.
But they were indisputably affected by DDT and other organichlorine pesticides. 700 nesting pairs in the 1970s is proof of a "strong comeback" and immunity to DDT?!? It sounds more like evidence of better counting?
DDT biomagnifies as it works its way up the food chain. Being fat soluble, DDT accumulates in some tissues (like the liver) more than others. Since it is not metabolized well, creatures that eat lots and lots of things that have small amounts of DDT in them end up accumulating a lot of DDT. When DDT gets into water, the zooplankton that live in the water end up with much higher concentrations of DDT than is present in the water. The critters that eat the zooplankton end up with concentrations orders of magnitude higher, and the creatures that eat the critters end up with the highest concentrations of DDT yet. This maginification process can result in animals at the top of the food chain (like osprey or bald eagles) having ten million times the concentration of DDT in their livers than is present in the water that serves as the habitat for their food.
Banning DDT (and ceratain other organichlorine pesticides) was a good idea, even though DDT is good at killing some insects. There are, after all, other insecticides. Allowing continued DDT use in areas where malaria is prevalent is also a good idea in the short term to save human life. If you don't understand both sides of that, you should not be in a decision making capacity.
Best Story of the year...
We had eagles in our area this year for the first time in recent memory. They were awesome. Unfortunately the were feeding from fish in a fenced-off lake contaminated with old sewage sludge on the lake bottom. The lake is a left over from older days of waste water treatment in unlined retention ponds. Hopefully, they will suffer no ill effects from eating the fish. One leg of our city's paved bicycle trail runs right past the lake. The eagles showed up every day for about 3 months, beginning in January, but then moved on. Hopefully, they will return next year.
Mark, Dow also said Agent Orange was safe. Common sense says any strong chemicals are bad for ANY living thing. Too bad the righties won't believe this. Stick to your logic, you're correct.
Fantastic, the Bald Eagle is making a comeback.
Our next challenge is to keep the NRA away from these majestic beings!
You raise a good point, 25Walker, I hope, hope, HOPE, that once bald eagle numbers rise high enough, that they will not be hunted.
I have lived in south Louisiana all of my life and have seen many bald eagles during that time. This area must have been one of the eagle's last refuges. They are magnificent birds and I am glad to hear they are thriving even in urban areas.
Jim-Can: If you ever have the chance, swing by Tule Lake, CA (right by Klamath Falls, OR) in January or February. It is reported to be the largest wintering over place for balds in North America. You can't even drive the dirt road around the lake without having to stop and wait for these massive, incredible birds to (slowly) clear the road. They're all over the pastures (lots of cattle up there) and you get to watch the old and young squabble over perches. A little chilly and windy, but oh, so worth it!
so the guy lives in Minnesota and the Eagles are in Chicago - some one needs to look at a map
I didn't get that part either since I know where the eagles are located and that forest preserve in Palos is nowhere near Minnesota; it's about 15 minutes from my house and I live in Illinois (alas).
I saw an eagle last year flying somewhere when I was in my driveway. It was probably one of the nesting pair on the Cal-Sag, but wow!, what a wonderful bird to see from my house. I almost dropped my binoculars.
Hmm? I thought the Eagles were from Philly. :)
@ #4
Two separate incidents.
Actually, the Starved Rock State Park area has always been home to eagles, both golden and bald.....and that is going back many many years to when we used to trek out there as a school field trip in the hopes of catching glimpse of them as they hunted along the river or soared above the cliff areas.
Who is the idoit who started calling these wonderfuf birds BALD====ANY IDOIT CAN SEE THEY HAVE A PRETTY AND FULL HEAD OF HAIR
it's the color of the hair, white, that gives the appearance of being bald. brown body, white hair. signifies wisdom
"... wisdom crieth out ..."
@ #5
Hair?
I live in the Seattle area and see the eagles everyday. They are often found in our pine trees, soaring in the sky, and/or fishing in the Sound. They are absolutely magnificent birds!
They're all over the northeast now. I've never seen them here in Upstate NY before last year, now I get to see them nearly every day :) I totally agree with dinseattle, they are as magnificent as they are majestic.
You can thank the EPA for the return of the bald eagle and the EPA is not the big brother organization the republicans try to make it out to be. The EPA put a halt to polluters who were destroying our environment and our natural resources for their money. We need to stop and think bald eagles in Chicago never would have believed it stop these wealthy bastards from polluting our planet all in the name of money and greed. As time goes on we will see other things return as the big money folks are stopped from their wicked ways. Hurray for the EPA they win a battle and we need them and forget all the lies that are told about them they are making the rich obey the law which is something they don't understand after all they have money and employ people right and I have a bridge in Brooklyn you can buy.
Jim, if you will research the chemicals the EPA outlaws you will find most of them are out of license (i.e.
cheap). Who is the EPA working for? The people or the chemical companies that have new(i.e. expensive)
chemical theywant to sell?
Poor bastards pollute and seem to be just as wicked.
Interesting to note that the same sort of money game seems to occur with medications.....once the patent rights are gone, the items go to over the counter so that no other pharmaceutical company could perhaps compete with the original developer for part of the market share....and of course, once the item is over the counter, it is used less frequently by doctors in the treatments of illnesses......and the whole concept of negative side effects (something that the FDA is supposed to monitor for product safety) seems to be cast aside-no patent, no exhorbitant profit, so there is obviously no real risk either.
It's great that the Eagles are coming back. And pesticides are a real problem around the world. But DDT did not cause the decline of the Eagle population. That myth was debunked long ago. It's surprising that someone from the zoo wouldn't know this. Just shows you how "politically correct" brainwashing can linger even after the truth comes out. Still, some pesticides are doing great harm, to the bees and a lot of other critters crucial to our survival.
Windy City my a$$ ever been to Casper Wyoming. Anyway see em all the time There big there bald there beautiful.
what the hells ur point? U live in freaking Wyoming! The whole population of Wyoming could fit in Soldier Stadium lol
Hey vinny we should get togeather somatime and split a meataball samwhich wacha say :)
There surely must be more than they think, I've been seeing them in central Texas for sixty years, there are some roosting here now.
Watch somebody shoot it thinking it'a chicken.
Yes, I remember when the chicken was almost extinct from being overly-hunted.
An incredible gift.
Thank you Democrats! If it wasn't for you there'd be no wildlife fun for Republicans to enjoy every summer with their families!
Seriously, Republicans said the DDT ban would "cost jobs." Hmm, things never change do they......
Really ,they said that? Who do you think started the EPA? Do you know we still use DDT? Any time plague shows up the CDC sprays the area with DDT.
Yeah, some things never do change...it won't be long before Rahm calls his ex boss, the community organizer and complains that these eagles are experiencing way to much success, when compared to other unfortunate birds of prey of Chicago and that these birds need to be taxed, in order to make it more fair for the other birds. They'll call it the Bird rule.....no reference intended to the deceased, ex Democrat senator and former KKK member from WV.
Thank hunters for much concerning wildlife as their licensing fees have a portion go to preserve wildlife.
other issues too to be of concern:
1- LEAD : " Lead is poisonous to an estimated 130 species of raptors and other birds and wildlife who unwittingly ingest it by consuming fish that have swallowed lead sinkers, or scooping up stray weights or lead pellets left behind in shallow water, or scavenging the remnants of game whose carcasses contain fragments of soft lead shot. Death to these animals is slow and excruciatingly painful. Those who hunt or fish, their families, and other humans also are at risk when they eat food that has come into contact with lead. A wound from a gunshot can be infected up to a foot and a half around by minute particles of lead from the bullet.
There are effective and inexpensive alternatives to lead-based fishing tackle and ammunition. Lead-based paint has been illegal in the U.S since 1977, after a long campaign. The campaign to ban all lead-based products that enter the food chain has been going on for some time. With the huge interest in the Decorah eagles cam in 2011 and the increasing awareness of birds in the wild that is has fostered, we have an opportunity to kick this campaign into high gear. "- from raptor resource project
--------
2- killing for feathers:"
The Associated Press
Date: Saturday Mar. 17, 2012 6:28 PM ET
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A federal government decision to allow a Wyoming tribe to kill two bald eagles for a religious ceremony is a victory for American Indian sovereignty as well as for long-suppressed religious freedoms, the tribe says.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service granted a permit March 9 to the Northern Arapaho Tribe allowing it either to kill or capture and release two bald eagles this year." from AP, march 17 read the rest of the article
------
3 - wind turbines:
"According to a 2004 California Energy Commission (CEC) report, as many as 380 Burrowing Owls (also a state-designated species of special concern), 300 Red-tailed Hawks, and 333 American Kestrels are killed every year. In all, as many as 4,700 birds die annually as a result of the wind turbines. " as per golden gate audubon society
According to a handful of social media posts about three years ago, American Bald Eagles were nesting on Chicago's far South Side along the Little Calumet River near the Acme Steel plant where the shoreline is very heavily wooded. Several Chicago television crews, along with Mayor Daley, showed up to record and to comment on the "big event."
What's worse than DDT, Lead, and Wind Turbines? "Ignernt Rednecks!"
Here in Texas, two years ago, a pair of Bald Eagles was spotted nesting just across the Neches River from Beaumont. Great eagle habitat: pine/cypress forest, vast marshland, the river, with plenty of fish, snakes, small alligators, and small mammals to eat. However. . . .
A group of "Bubba's" from Vidor, Texas decided to hunt the birds down because. . . ."Hayell! 'Em birds'll swoop down and carry yer young'uns and yer dawgs off!"
Fortunately, local game wardens got wind of their plot and put a quick stop to it!
Unauthorized persons in possession of a single eagle feather or any parts of an eagle can be fined up to $25,000. This applies to both golden and bald eagles. Killing either kind of eagle can lead to a fine of up to $100,000, one year imprisonment, or both. This is from the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
""Ignernt Rednecks"
sort of redundant.
Sounds like an urban legend!
Oh great, now the thugs have something else to aim their illegal guns at, besides each other. Wait a minute, guns are illegal in chit-cago.
It's true. The bald eagle is an exception to the rule. All other hawks are generally down in population. You see hawks are at the top of the food chain. And with soooo many animals decreasing in number so widely and fast, the sheer numbers of hawks simple cannot be supported. Consider the fact that there is drought in nearly all of the contiguous states. Drought kills nearly everything. Every insect, bird, small animal, plant life. Almost nothing survives.
Ok so how does the bald eagle do it. Well, it is mainly recovering from the ddt problem still. Bald eagles were almost non existent but now there are a few. And unlike most other hawks, based upon what i have seen, the bald eagle likes to fish. Hawks that go after fish are doing ok. The osprey, also a big time into fishing, is still plentiful. Red tail hawk, peregrine falcon, white tailed kite, not so much. Large fresh water fish are still plentiful. Maybe they are seeded into our rivers every year by the locak fish and game. Salt water fish - not so much.
Growing up in northern Illinois, I had never seen a red-tailed hawk or a bald eagle in the wild. After gaining employment in a job where I drive all over north central Illinois I saw my first red-tailed hawk in 1994. I now see several red tails every day, they are a great story of recovery. I have also sighted six bald eagles on separate occasions over the area. Kestrels are also common, wild turkeys are also coming back. The only real river around is the Rock river, but most of my sightings are Boone, DeKalb, Ogle and Lee counties, too far from the river for the hawks, but not the eagles.
drought comes from the rejection of the Word
This Word ?
A-well-a everybody's heard about the bird
B-b-b-bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, well the bird is the word
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a don't you know about the bird?
Well, everybody knows that the bird is the word!
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a...
A-well-a everybody's heard about the bird
Bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird, bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a don't you know about the bird?
Well, everybody's talking about the bird!
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
A-well-a bird...
Surfin' bird
Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb... [retching noises]... aaah!
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Oom-oom-oom-oom-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-oom-oom-oom
Oom-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-a-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, ooma-mow-mow
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Papa-oom-oom-oom-oom-ooma-mow-mow
Oom-oom-oom-oom-ooma-mow-mow
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Papa-ooma-mow-mow, ooma-mow-mow
Well don't you know about the bird?
Well, everybody knows that the bird is the word!
A-well-a bird, bird, b-bird's the word
Papa-ooma-mow-mow, papa-ooma-mow-mow
[repeat to fade]
marshal-2837579; I would be interested in what you are basing your assertion on that raptor numbers are down and for what period of time. In the 1970's I don't think I saw *any* raptors of any kind anywhere in Illinois and it wasn't until the last 15 years or so that their numbers have seemed (to me) to increase substantially. While I agree with you that top tier predators indicate the general health of the wildlife population and that perhaps there may be some kind of numbers decrease in the offing due to die-off of their food sources, most hawks diets consist of voles and small rodents. Osprey and eagles are pretty much the only two of these birds to fish on a regular basis.
We are a birding family and have written records of what we've seen dating back about 22 years and my records indicate that the hawk/eagle/raptor population in general is still increasing. On a trip from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Chicago, Illinois we counted 238 red tail hawks, 73 kestrels, 12 bald eagles, 6 Cooper's Hawks and 4 other hawks we failed to identify...and that was just car birding, counting what we saw along the road.
I'm not disputing your findings on eagles; I'm just curious on what you are basing your statement that hawk numbers are down.
Down around where Mongtomery and Oswego meet, there are still plentiful pheasant (probably because there are still corn fields) and I have seen groups of wild Turkey, and if you travel a little farther along route 47 (where there is an even higher percentage of farmland yet) you will see the turkey vultures. And this would all be considered within half an hour of a major city.
What a lovely story. I assume ACORN already has registered the birds as Democrats and is working on registering their deceased relatives to vote as well.
"Bald Eagles make comeback in the Windy City"
That's Secret Service talk for the prostitutes have landed.
lol Bobby Jones Bia
I like Bald Eagles, a truly magnificent bird, and the best part is that they taste almost as good as Spotted Owl!!
boo Barlow-1919963
How long will it be before they are registered to vote ?
what is "good news" doing on this site?