Return of a Native

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 today Bald Eagles nest across Alabama as part of a broader national recovery from near extinction. In fall, Bald Eagles migrate into Alabama from northern states and Canada to spend the winter in its moderate climate before returning north in spring. Historically, they nested in Alabama's Tennessee Valley and coastal region, but their numbers dwindled in the 1950's and 1960s mainly because DDT poisoning moved through the food chain by accumulating in fish eaten by eagles, causing eggshells to thin and break during incubation. The population plummeted, wintering eagles in Alabama became rare, and the breeding population died out. Adult Bald Eagles have a white head and tail contrasting with dark body feathers and a bright yellow bill, though these features do not fully develop until about five years of age. Adult females have a wingspan of almost eight feet and may weigh as much as fourteen pounds, while males are slightly smaller. Immature Bald Eagles, which lack the white head and tail, are often mistaken for Golden Eagles, which are not usually found near large bodies of water. Wildlife biologists and conservationists used hacking to release 91 juvenile eagles across Alabama from 1985-91 so the birds would take their first flights there, become imprinted on the area, and return as adults to nest. Bald Eagles mate for life and share nesting and brood-rearing duties, usually building nests high in tall trees near water and returning to the same nest each year to add material. They lay one, two, or occasionally three eggs from December to January, incubate them for 30-32 days, and raise eaglets that need nearly three months of development before leaving the nest.

Alabama · United States