Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act

National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines

Permit regulations to authorize limited "take" of bald eagles or their nests (pdf)

Bald eagle natural history and sensitivity (pdf)

On February 8, 2011, the Service released draft guidelines that will provide agency employees, developers, other federal agencies and state organizations information needed to make the best possible decisions in the review and selection of sites for wind energy facilities to avoid and minimize negative impacts to fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats.

One of the guidelines, the Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance, will provide interpretive guidance to wind developers, Service biologists who evaluate potential impacts on eagles from proposed wind energy projects, and others in applying the regulatory permit standards as specified by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and other federal laws.

The Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance and the Voluntary, Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines can be located at http://www.fws.gov/windenergy/ for more information.

Two factors most influence an eagle's response to human activity:

1. The activity's visibility from the eagle nest and;
2. The regular occurrence of similar activities near the nest.

General recommendations to avoid disturbing nesting bald eagles:

1. Keep distance between the activity and the nest (distance buffers).
2. Maintain forested or natural areas between the activity and the nest tree (landscape buffers).
3. Avoid certain activities during the nesting season (timing buffers).