Eagles & Raptors

Raptors, or birds of prey, include eagles, falcons, hawks, and other birds that hunt and feed on vertebrates. The bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, is considered a conservation success story after facing near extinction in the 20th century. In the 1800s, it is estimated that there were nearly half a million bald eagles, but the population began to rapidly decline as the synthetic insecticide DDT became available in the mid 1900s and overhunting soared in Alaska. At the population’s lowest point in the 1960s, there were less than 500 nesting pairs across the contiguous US. A ban on the toxic insecticide in the 1970s helped recovery efforts for the nearly extinct eagle, and the hundreds of other species that were affected in the wake of its deleterious usage. In 2007, the bald eagle was considered fully recovered and delisted as an endangered and threatened species. Today the population is over 300,000 according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Other raptors like the Philippine eagle, Peregrine falcon, Harpy eagle, golden eagle, and black-and-chestnut eagle have faced similar difficulties as the bald eagle in the United States. Deforestation and climate change pose major threats for niche predator species. Diseases like the avian flu and toxic exposure to lead ammunition and PBDEs have become more apparent in recent years. Birds of prey hold a powerful place in mythology and the cultural imagination. North American indigenous groups hold the eagle in high esteem, as seen in ancient petroglyphs and garments that incorporate their feathers. The National Eagle Repository connects contemporary tribes with eagle materials needed for rituals and clothing. While the bald eagle is considered ‘recovered’ many other birds of prey require immediate action to save their populations from extinction. Groups like the Peregrine Fund carry out research and conservation initiatives across the globe to help keep these magnificent creatures alive.