Eagles & Raptors

"The endangered black-and-chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori), one of the largest raptors on the continent, has been forced to change its behavior to survive in increasingly fragmented habitats and growing threats from humans . . . Andean forests are one of the most degraded ecosystems in the Americas. Natural vegetation loss ranges between 28% and 60%, with the worst of it occurring in the lowland foothill forests . . . In Colombia, it’s common for farmers to shoot the eagles when they try to hunt domesticated poultry. However, the eagles only go after the poultry when the fragmented forests can’t provide the wild prey they’re accustomed to . . . Because the eagle is a top predator in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela and Argentina, losing it could disrupt Andean forest ecosystems regionally, as there will be less population control of its prey, such as monkeys and rodents."

“Bald eagle populations are doing brilliantly in the U.S.,” explains Todd Katzner, a conservation ecologist with the U.S. Geological Servey and an author of the new paper. But other birds of prey, such as golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are on shakier ground, and contaminants other than DDT, including lead ammunition, still litter the landscape. When an eagle eats lead—usually in the form of ammunition left behind in deer and other carcasses—it shows up in the bloodstream, filters through the liver, and can build up in the bones if the bird eats enough lead throughout its lifetime. . . So Vincent Slabe, a wildlife biologist at the nonprofit Conservation Science Global, and his colleagues began to collect samples from birds. Over a period of 8 years, they gathered tissue from 1210 bald and golden eagles. . . The team then measured lead levels, looking for acute exposure in blood, liver, and feathers and indications of chronic poisoning in bones. Nearly half of the birds showed signs of chronic lead poisoning—46% of bald and 47% of golden eagles.”

“ESI acknowledged that at least 150 bald and golden eagles had died at its facilities since 2012, and that 136 of those deaths were “affirmatively determined to be attributable to the eagle being struck by a wind turbine blade,” the Justice Department said in a statement. . . Protecting the eagles has become a “challenging situation,” especially when it comes to wind turbines, said Julia Ponder, a professor and associate dean at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota . . . The tips of a wind turbine’s blades can spin at about 200 miles per hour, fast enough to immediately kill any bird”

“The virus has taken an unusual toll on raptors or birds of prey, including more than three dozen bald eagles. . . The U.S.D.A. has reported 41 dead bald eagles infected with the virus since February. . . it appears the virus will harm nesting success — the ability of a nest to produce at least one young bird capable of flight — among certain populations this year, according to a statement from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Aerial surveys of nesting bald eagles in six coastal counties in Georgia have revealed nest success was down 30 percent this year, according to the statement. . . At Back to the Wild, a rehabilitation center in Ohio, bald eagles believed to have bird flu appear unsteady on their feet and are unable to fly; some have even had seizures."

"The number of bald eagles — a species that once came dangerously close to extinction in the United States — has more than quadrupled over the last dozen years despite massive declines in overall bird populations . . . A new survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that since 2009, when the last count was taken, the number of eagles had soared to an estimated 316,700 in the lower 48 states. At the species’ lowest point in the 1960s, there were fewer than 500 nesting pairs in those states . . . Although the bald eagle was removed from the endangered list in 2007, conservationists credit much of the population’s recovery to decades of protection from federal regulations that made it illegal to hunt the birds . . . The eagle’s comeback is something of an outlier. Across the U.S. and Canada, the number of birds has fallen by 3 billion, or 29%, over the last 50 years . . ."

"With their sleek, monochrome bodies, ferocious eyes, and exuberant facial feathers resembling avian pigtails, harpy eagles—one of the world’s largest eagle species—often are ranked among the planet’s most spectacular birds and at the top of many birders’ lists . . . No one knows how many remain in the wild, but scientists do know that they’re disappearing. The powerful raptors once lived from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, but since the 1800s their range has shrunk by more than 40 percent and is now limited mostly to the Amazon, according to [Brazilian biologist Everton Miranda]. Deforestation from farming, mining, and development—the primary threat to harpy eagles’ survival—shows no signs of slowing . . . Miranda, a mixed martial arts fighter turned scientist, is at the forefront of efforts to save Brazil’s harpy eagles. He says he’s certain that without effective conservation, the raptors soon will disappear from a significant slice of their Brazilian stronghold—the so-called arc of deforestation, a fragmented landscape about the size of Spain encircling the southeastern Amazon like a crooked grin. He believes that rampant habitat loss can be combated by showing Brazilians that the forests are more profitable standing than felled, and with that in mind, he recently helped launch an innovative ecotourism program to give landowners incentive to protect harpy eagles and their habitats."

". . .California will become the first state to ban all lead ammunition for hunting — the culmination of years of efforts to phase out toxic lead ammunition in the environment. The statewide ban will significantly decrease the risk that leftover fragments of spent lead bullets and shot will poison wildlife such as hawks, owls, eagles and critically endangered California condors. “Switching to nontoxic ammunition will save the lives of thousands birds and other wildlife and prevent hunting families from being exposed to toxic lead,” said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity."

“Reelfoot Lake is less a lake than a system of bayous, creeks and swampland connected by areas of shallow open water. It was created in the winter of 1811-1812 when a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks caused 15,000 acres of cypress forest to sink. . . Hundreds of bald eagles surround the lake, perched in bald cypress trees. . . [Reelfoot] is the “eagle-watching headquarters for the whole country,” according to Warren Douglas, a park ranger. The lake is a crucial wintering ground for migratory waterfowl, and that makes it prime hunting territory for eagles.”

“By federal law, it’s illegal to possess, use or sell eagle feathers. . . However, the law, which is part of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the 100-year-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act, stipulates that Native Americans who are members of federally recognized tribes can obtain a permit under the Federally Recognized Tribal List Act of 1994 to gain access to golden eagles and bald eagles. The majestic avians have long held a significant role among Native Americans, who use the feathers in religious and cultural ceremonies. . . Every year, each tribal member over the age of 18 can apply to receive up to one whole golden or bald eagle, or various pieces that are equivalent to what one single eagle would contain, such as a pair of wings, a tail, a pair of talons, a head or a trunk. . . According to Standing Bear, Native Americans believe that the eagle is closer to God than humans are. “The eagle flies above us and has been here longer than we have and knows God better than we do,” he says.”

"Down to a few hundred individuals, every Philippine eagle is important if the species is to survive. However, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) has recently announced that people continue to illegally trap and keep eagles captive . . . The Philippine eagle is one of the world’s biggest raptors with a two meter long (6.5 foot) wingspan. Decimated by large-scale deforestation in its range islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao, the bird is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List and its population continues to decline."

"The best available scientific and commercial data indicate that the bald eagle has recovered. Therefore, under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, remove (delist) the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the lower 48 States of the United States from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This determination is based on a thorough review of all available information, which indicates that the threats to this species have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species has recovered and no longer meets the definition of threatened or endangered under the Act."

"Less than 5 years after flying off the U.S. endangered species list, the peregrine falcon may be facing another threat. A study of peregrine eggs finds some of the highest levels of commonly used fire retardant chemicals ever found in wildlife. . . They tested for--and found--10 kinds of PBDEs in wild peregrine eggs, and concentrations of some forms measured 400 times higher in the wild eggs than those from captives, they report in the 1 January issue of Environmental Science & Technology. . . Although the compound's effects aren't well studied, it's been shown to cause neurological effects in mice. More alarming is the fact that it breaks down into compounds known to be harmful. De Wit notes that nearly 25,000 tons of deca-BDE were used in the U.S. in 1999. She fears that "the release of huge amounts of deca over many years could lead to a buildup in the environment that will slowly degrade to BDEs that are much more bioavailable." "

"Panama is the last country in Central America with a viable wild population of H. harpyja and supports an estimated 209 individuals. . . In 2002, a law declaring H. harpyja the national bird of Panama also set fines up to $5,000 for capturing or harming any individuals, eggs, or nests . . . Fortunately, despite recent population declines, a genetic study on 63 H. harpyja individuals in Central and South America found unexpectedly high levels of genetic diversity and geographic differentiation, suggesting promising conservation potential for the species . . ."

"In 2001, the number of breeding pairs in the lower 48 United States was estimated at between 16,000 and 19,000. In the 1950s, and 1960s, Osprey populations decreased and the species was extirpated from many areas due to the effects of organochlorine pesticides like DDT. . . Osprey populations have increased in the United States since the late 1970s. Numbers increased primarily due to a ban on the widespread use of DDT in 1972. Today, Osprey numbers in the United States are increasing and individuals are returning to formerly vacated breeding grounds, as well as expanding into new areas."