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Protecting our Symbol of Freedom

Bald eagles on nest platform. Credit: USFWS

Moosehorn is fortunate enough to provide the bald eagle with year-round habitat. We are very proud to have several bald eagle families on the refuge.

The refuge received national attention when a pair took over an osprey nesting platform along Rt. 1. They have been nesting there since 1991. A second pair of eagles has a nest on Bald Mountain. Both nests are near large waterways where the eagles can search for fish, their favorite food.

Both nests have successfully produced bald eagle chicks. Chicks take 4-5 years to reach adult plumage.

Back from the Brink of Extinction

The bald eagle was placed on the Endangered Species List in 1978 due to dramatic population declines. A major cause of its decline was the pesticide DDT.

DDT ran off of agricultural fields and into waterways where it was ingested by fish. Small amounts of DDT in fish accumulated in the eagle’s body. Trouble started when DDT caused the eagles to lay eggs that were too fragile. The eggs would break underneath the adults.

Eagle populations have made a remarkable recovery due to the banning of DDT and habitat protection. This led to the downgrading of their status from "endangered" to "threatened" in 1995.

In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to remove the bald eagle from the endangered species list completely. The eagle would still be protected by the Golden and Bald Eagle Act, Migratory Bird Act, and other refuge regulations. We are proud of the bald eagle's success and are glad it is on its way to complete recovery.