MONTGOMERY-There was a point and time in Alabama where it was extremely rare to see a bald eagle, but due to the great success of the bald eagle restoration program, we can now find eagles in every county in Alabama. Each year, biologists from multiple organizations participate in mid-winter bald eagle surveys (MWBES). These nationwide surveys, a large-scale volunteer effort, were first implemented by the National Wildlife Federation in 1984 to monitor national and regional bald eagle count trends. Participants survey standard routes along major waterways by plane, boat, or vehicle each January counting bald and golden eagles. In 1988 Alabama began participating in the surveys, and has been doing so since. Three Alabama surveys are included in the national MWBES survey; Guntersville Lake, Pickwick Lake, and Holt, Bankhead, and Oliver Lakes. AWFF Nongame Program partners with Alabama Power Company, Corps of Engineers, USFWS, and Southern Company to complete additional surveys across the state each year. This year, 71 adults and 15 juveniles were counted on the three MWBES survey routes, along with numerous active nests.
The restoration of the bald eagle is one of the greatest wildlife success stories. The nongame program of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division began efforts to restore eagles to Alabama in 1984. From 1985-1991, 91 juvenile eagles were released back into the wild at six different hacking towers across the state.
Bald eagle seen during mid-winter eagle survey flight.
The first confirmed successful nest was in 1991. The state does not conduct statewide nest surveys anymore because of the successful bald eagle recovery. We are certain there are well over 100 nests now in the state.
Mid-winter bald eagle surveys are conducted in early January each year along major lakes and reservoirs. Results from those surveys continue to show improvement in the state’s eagle populations.
If you know of a nest location, we encourage you to report that information via email to our bald eagle coordinator, Carrie Threadgill, or by phone (334) 242-3469. The nongame program does not have the resources to survey the state for nests, but does keep an internal database of any known eagle nests or reported nests for future reference.
Media Release/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
