Bald Eagles reach and surpass milestone
The year we humans call 2012 was an amazing year for Bald Eagles in Nebraska. The statewide total of active nests surpassed the century mark. Actually, the final tally was 103. Not bad for a species that was flirting with extinction not all that long ago. Plus, the majority of Nebraskans alive today were born at a time when there were no Bald Eagles nesting in the state. In the late 1980s there were a few records of Bald Eagles attempting to nest, but all of those attempts fizzled or failed. The first modern active and successful (produced young) Bald Eagle nest for Nebraska was found near Valley, Douglas County, in 1991. So Bald Eagles have been nesting in the state for a little over twenty years. They did nest historically in Nebraska, but the number of actual nest observations from before 1900 are few. So breeding pairs may not have ever been all that numerous prior to settlement by European Americans.
Back to the main point. The number of active Bald Eagles has now reached 103, which is remarkable for a species with a relatively slow rate of reproduction. Furthermore, the original federal recovery objective (identified when the species was listed as endangered) was only ten pairs. The species has exceeded all expectations. Now, the question is, when do Bald Eagle nest numbers begin to level off. It is difficult to say, but it will be fun to see how this story winds down.
To find out all the details, check out our report (link below):
