SOUTHERN BALD EAGLE Haliaeetus 1 ■ leucocephalus (Linnaeus) 



Order: FALCONIFORMES Family: ACCIPITRIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics : Large, hawk-like, soaring bird, plumage mainly dark 

 brown with pure white head and tail when adult . Brown blotched with white all over when 

 immature. Distinuished from the other race of the species, the northern bald eagle, only 

 by smaller size. 



Present distribution : Nests primarily in estuarine areas of Atlantic and Gulf coasts, 

 locally from New Jersey to Texas , and lower Mississippi Vjilley southward from eastern 

 Arkansas and western Tennessee, and through southern States west to California and 

 Baja California . Some birds wander northward in summer after nesting season to northern 

 United States and southeastern Canada . Adult population of southern Florida essentially 

 resident . 



Former distribution : More extensive, but locally, in the southern United States the same 

 as at present. 



Status : Generally decreasing . Reproduction apparently less successful than formerly 

 except in Everglades National Park, where about 52 pairs nested in 1965 with a success of 

 50 percent and a production of 1.46 young per successfial nest. 



Estimated numbers : About 235 active nests in 1965, 99 of which were successful. 



Breeding rate in the wild : Normally, about 1.5 young per successful nest. 



Reasons for decline : Increase in human population in primary nesting areas . Distur- 

 bance of nesting birds, illegal shooting, loss of nest trees, and possible reduced repro- 

 duction as a result of pesticides ingested with food by adults. 



Protective measures already taken : Federal laws in the United States protect both the 

 bald and golden eagles . The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and the State game 

 departments enforce these laws . The Bureau is also studying the effects of pesticides 

 on bald eagles. Eight National Wildlife Refuges in the southeastern United States have 

 bald eagles nesting on them. The National Audubon Society is conducting intensive 

 investigations of bald eagle distribution, status, breeding biology, and limiting factors. 

 Florida Audubon Society has obtained agreements with landowners for 2,300,000 acres 

 where nests are located to be treated as bald eagle sanctuaries . The Society makes annual 

 inspections of these nesting sites. Access to eagle nesting areas on National Wildlife 

 Refuges is restricted. Timber cutting, road traffic, and pesticide use have been reduced 

 or eliminated. Cooperation of the public is being sought in reducing human activity in 

 areas adjacent to refuges in vicinity of eagle nests. Potential nest sites (trees) are being 

 preserved in existing and promising nesting areas . The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 

 has developed facilities where propagation of the northern and southern races is underway. 

 The Center is studying pesticidal contaminants in the environment of the bald eagle and 

 is developing captive propagation methods to produce birds to bolster wild populations 

 or restore breeding pairs to depleted habitat. 



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