Bald eagles have made quite a comeback in recent years. Our national symbol was in danger of extinction 40 years ago throughout most of its range.
Habitat destruction and degradation, illegal shooting, and the contamination of its food source, largely as a consequence of DDT, decimated the eagle population.
Habitat protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the federal government’s banning of DDT, and conservation actions taken by the American public helped bald eagles make a remarkable recovery. In Ohio, 13 percent of the eagle population nests in Ottawa County along the Lake Erie shoreline.
In 2021, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge had eight bald eagle nests on the 6,000 acre main complex. After a severe thunderstorm with high winds in August, six of those nests had fallen. Over the fall and winter, Ottawa's bald eagles have rebuilt their nests and they are now incubating eggs. The chicks will grow in the nest from February to July. When they fledge (leave the nest), adult bald eagles will teach them critical hunting and fishing skills.
Above is a bald eagle photographed at the Turtle Creek Island Unit, a satellite property of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The photos were taken by Tajinder Singh of Sylvania.
To learn more about the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge trails and Wildlife Drive, visit friendsofottawanwr.org/. The Wildlife Drive is scheduled to be open March 19 and 20, from sunrise to one hour before sunset. The refuge also features more than 10 miles of hiking trails that are open from dawn to dusk.
