Alabama began a Bald Eagle Restoration Project in 1984 after Bald Eagles had not successfully nested in the state since 1949. Restoration efforts increased the population, and Bald Eagles now nest across Alabama as part of a broader national recovery from near extinction. Historically, they nested in Alabama's Tennessee Valley and coastal regions, but their numbers dwindled in the 1950's and 1960's mainly because DDT accumulated through the food chain in fish eaten by eagles, causing eggshells to thin, break during incubation, and fail to hatch. The population plummeted, wintering eagles in Alabama became rare, and the breeding population died out completely. In fall, Bald Eagles from northern states and Canada move into Alabama for the winter, taking advantage of moderate temperatures and ice-free waters before returning north in spring. At Waterloo, Bald Eagles patrol the waters year-round, nest along Second Creek, and can be seen hunting and tending their young, while in winter large groups gather in the area, with eagles visible on exposed gravel banks in the early morning and roosting along the river during the middle of the day.
