Numerous other activities have the potential to disturb eagle nests, communal roosts, and foraging areas through noise or visual disturbance or habitat alteration.

Aircraft

If you concerned about potential eagle strikes at your airport and would like to haze eagles, please see Eagle Depredation.

Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft disturb eagles through noise and proximity.  Only authorized biologists trained in eagle survey techniques may fly over eagle use areas without a permit.

Aircraft may NOT be operated within 1,000 feet of an eagle nest during nesting season (January 1 – August 15) without a permit.

If you have any questions, or cannot follow these recommendations, please contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Service Office for assistance in avoiding disturbance.

Blasting and Fireworks

Blasting and other loud, intermittent noises affect eagles through noise disturbance cause visual and sound disturbance.

Avoid blasting and other activities that produce extremely loud noises within 1/2 mile of active eagle nests during breeding season (January 1 – August 15). You may contact us if the eagles demonstrate a tolerance to similar activities closer than ½ mile from active nests.

This recommendation applies to fireworks classified by the Federal Department of Transportation as Class B explosives, which includes the larger fireworks that are intended for licensed public display.

Information For:

Do not use explosives within 1/2 mile if wooded or within 1 mile if open of eagle nests (between January 1 and August 15) or roost site and foraging areas when eagles are congregating (typically between November 15 and March 15).

In some areas eagles forage year round. If the use of fireworks results in harassment, injury, or death of eagles, it is punishable by law.

If you have any questions, or cannot follow these recommendations, please contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Service Office for assistance in avoiding disturbance.

Activities Affecting Eagle Habitat

For activities that impact eagle habitat, such as:

• Agriculture and Aquaculture - new or expanded operations
• Alteration of shorelines or wetlands
• Installation of docks or moorings
• Water impoundment

You must maintain a minimum distance of 660 feet if the activity is visible from an eagle nest, roost site, or forage area.

You must maintain a minimum distance of 330 feet if the activity is not visible from the eagle nest, roost site, or forage area.

In addition:

• Retain all vegetated landscape or other visual barriers between activity and any eagle nest, roost site, or forage area.
• Do NOT remove any overstory trees within 330 feet of eagles (overstory trees provide a visual screen and weather barrier)
• Conduct any overstory tree removal, clearing, external construction, and landscaping between 330 and 660 feet in the appropriate season:
• If near a nest, conduct work between August 16 – December 31
• If near a roost, conduct work between March 16 – November 14

If you have any questions, or cannot follow these recommendations, please contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Service Office for assistance in avoiding disturbance.

For activities that impact eagle habitat and have increased noise disturbance, such as:

• Installation or expansion of marinas with a capacity of 6 or more boats
• Mining and associated activities
• Oil and natural gas drilling, refining, and associated activities

You must maintain a minimum distance of 660 feet eagle nest, roost site, or forage area at all times.

In addition:

• Retain all vegetated landscape or other visual barriers between activity and any eagle nest, roost site, or forage area.
• Do NOT remove any overstory trees within 330 feet of eagles (overstory trees provide a visual screen and weather barrier)
• Conduct any overstory tree removal, clearing, external construction, and landscaping between 330 and 660 feet in the appropriate season:
• If near a nest, conduct work between August 16 – December 31
• If near a roost, conduct work between March 16 – November 14

If you have any questions, or cannot follow these recommendations, please contact your Local Fish and Wildlife Service Office for assistance in avoiding disturbance.