Bald Eagles Soar in Delaware as Survey Reveals Population Growth
DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife
Date Posted: Wednesday, June 5th, 2024
Practically every American knows our country’s national bird is the bald eagle. But while the eagle has over the years come to be viewed as one of the United States’ main symbols, the species was actually in danger of extinction by the middle of the 20th century.
Today, however, the bald eagle is no longer endangered. Protections put in place by the federal and state governments have done their part and the eagle is now a success story, an icon of resilience and an example of how public policy can safeguard the natural world and its creatures.
In March 2023, to check bald eagles population numbers, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control conducted a thorough survey of potential eagle nests throughout the state.
Over the course of two days, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s raptor, grassland and forest bird biologist visited 173 historic and reported eagles’ nests up and down the state.
That biologist, Jordan Brown, spent eight hours a day as a passenger in a small Cessna aircraft checking possible nesting spots and recording the data. In all, 121 nests were confirmed as eagles’ nests, with 82 of those being designated as active. This is an increase from 2018, when the last such survey was performed and DNREC recorded 106 nests, 77 of which were actively being used by eagles.
In 1987, only four active bald eagle nests were observed in Delaware during a survey, according to Brown. Given that, it’s clear the population here has rebounded.
Delawareans who are interested in spotting bald eagles in their natural habit can visit Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna, as well as the Nanticoke River in southwestern Sussex County. DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center in Milford is also a great place to check out the majestic avian, with potentially dozens of eagles gathering at one time by the harbor on the beach, unused dock pilings or driftwood.
If you spot and would like to report a bald eagle nest, you can do so at DNREC’s reporting web page. Submissions will be used by the Department when it conducts its next eagle survey in a few years.
Bald eagles, like this one seen at Ted Harvey Conservation Area in eastern Kent County, tend to nest in tall trees along waterways. (Roger Hutchins)
Read the Press Release in it’s entirety, which includes further data, including survey graph and other interesting information.
