The Georgia Department of Natural Resources says the population of the U.S. national bird appears to be stable in the state, according to the results of an annual survey.
This year’s survey focused on the southwest part of Georgia, including the barrier islands and coastal counties.
The survey found nests at average along the coast to just below average in the southwest.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Dr. Bob Sargent, a program manager with DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section, said there were 176 active nests, 127 of which were successful, with an estimated 190 eaglets fledged.
Sargent said accounting for the areas of the state that weren’t counted, the numbers suggest Georgia has kept more than 200 nest territories a year since the state topped that milestone in 2015.
The slight slippage in nests territories in some southwest areas can be attributed to storm damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton, Sargent said, as he saw a lot more fallen nests than usual.
Sargent said he recorded more empty nests than usual along the lower Chattahoochee River and some southwest Georgia reservoirs this winter.
He also said the area could be suffering a delayed hit from avian influenza. Bald eagles in coastal counties have started recovering after their numbers dipped from the disease in 2022.
Bald eagle numbers plummeted in the 20th century, with no successful nests during most of the 1970s to 55 by the turn of the century.
Experts say eagles were able to recover because of the U.S. ban of the pesticide DDT and environmental protections, including the Endangered Species Act.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources encourages the public to report bald eagle nests online, by emailing Sargent at bob.sargent@dnr.ga.gov or calling (478) 994-1438.
The public is reminded that, although delisted as an endangered species in 2007, bald eagles are still protected as a threatened bird by state law. The eagles are also protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The state’s conservation efforts are supported in part by people who buy or renew the eagle or monarch license plate, or the older hummingbird designs.
TRENDING STORIES:
- July 4th around Atlanta: 44 cities, spots to see fireworks in 2025
- Runners of all ages take part in Atlanta’s longtime July 4 tradition
- Several children injured in crash at Dunwoody 4th of July parade
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
