The Southern Bald Eagle 



at once on a winter's day is no sign that the species is holding its own. 



The Bald Eagle is essentially a fish-loving bird, and so is normally 

 distributed along the seashore and about the larger lakes and streams. It 

 was formerly found throughout the interior of this State wherever condi- 

 tions were suitable, especially in the northern portion (e. g. Eagle Lake) 

 and along the Sacramento-San Joaquin river systems. It is still found, 

 not uncommonly, in the northwestern counties, and more sparingly at 

 scattered points along the western sea coast. Only upon the Santa Bar- 

 bara Islands, however, may the birds be rated common, that is, of general 

 occurrence; and even here their numbers have been greatly reduced by 

 persecution, gunfire, and destruction of their nests. The introduction 

 of sheep upon these islands has placed overwhelming temptation in the 

 Eagle's path, and has earned her the enmity of a very determined set of 

 persecutors. Unless the Bald Eagle is actually protected, not alone from 

 lawless marauders in motor boats, but from the vengeance of the sheep- 

 men, whether owners or renters, its days are numbered. 



We must speak, then, chiefly of the Eagles of the Santa Barbara 

 Islands. Howell tells us in a recent review 1 that Eagles are no longer 

 found upon Los Coronados, but that they are still numerous on San 

 Clemente. They are "abundant" on San Nicolas, and common at 

 Catalina, although less numerous than formerly; for J. G. Cooper once 

 saw thirty birds there, chiefly immatures, at one time. A single pair 

 holds Santa Barbara Island, and the birds are known to occur on San 

 Miguel. They are presumed to occur, also, on Santa Rosa, but they are 

 best known at this time from Anacapa and Santa Cruz. The nests found 

 on Anacapa possess a special interest, because the sticks of which they 

 are composed have to be carried over by the birds from Santa Cruz, whose 

 nearest point is five miles away. 



Regarding the food habits of the island birds it is scarcely safe to 

 generalize. Their main dependence must formerly have been fish, and 

 these, no doubt, were chiefly secured by snatching from the surface of the 

 water. Ospreys do not abound in this section, and it is doubtful if the 

 well-known parasitism practiced by the Bald Eagle upon the Osprey has 

 been in vogue here. Dr. Cooper says of a northern bird, "I never 

 saw it dive for a fish * * * but have seen it settle for a moment on the 

 water to secure a dead fish, closing its wings." Cooper also notes the 

 capture of a flying fish in midair, by an island eagle — something of a feat ! 

 Others have seen the Eagle plunge into the sea as boldly as an Osprey, 

 even to the point of complete submergence. The Eagle occasionally does 

 patrol duty on the mainland shore, after the fashion of hawk or vulture, 

 but he spends more time as a sentinel in some commanding position 



1 Pac. CoastfAvifauna, No. 12, A. B. Howell (1017), p. 55. 

 1714 



