Eagle Management

Eagle Species

Understanding eagle characteristics is key to properly identifying them, which is important in determining what guidance and best practices to follow. Learn more by selecting one of our eagle species below.

Bald Eagle Fact Sheet

Golden Eagle Fact Sheet

Do I Need an Eagle Disturbance Permit?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may issue permits for the disturbance of nesting eagles, nest removal, incidental or purposeful take, possession, or transportation of bald and golden eagles, as well as their parts, nests, and eggs.  The 2024 revised permitting regulations for eagle incidental take and eagle nest take are now in effect.

More about All Eagle Permits

Eagle Nest Cameras

Eagle Feathers and Remains

Eagle Feathers and Parts for Native Americans

For hundreds, if not thousands, of years Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have used eagle feathers for religious and cultural purposes. Although for most people the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act prohibits possession of eagle parts, including eagle feathers, because of the significance of eagle feathers and other eagle parts to Native American heritage, and consistent with the government-to-government relationship between the United States federal government and federally-recognized tribal governments, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has undertaken policy and procedures to facilitate the collection and distribution of eagle bodies, feathers, and other eagle parts to Native Americans. This provides a legal means for Native Americans to acquire eagle remains for religious purposes, reducing the pressure to take eagles from the wild, and protecting eagle populations.

Native Americans may apply to obtain and possess eagle feathers and parts for religious and cultural purposes from our National Eagle Repository.

Found a Dead Eagle or Eagle Feathers?

For most people, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act prohibits possession of dead eagles and eagle parts, which includes eagle feathers.  If you find a dead eagle please answer the following questions before touching or moving the eagle:

• Do you have reason to suspect the eagle’s death was intentionally caused by a human?
• Do you believe the eagle was electrocuted?
• Do you believe the eagle was shot or poisoned?
• Does it appear that feathers or any body parts have been intentionally removed from the eagle?

If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes”, immediately call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement office at: (1-844-397-8477).

If the answer to all of the above questions is “no”, dead eagles and all eagle parts, including feathers, may be transferred to the National Eagle Repository unless otherwise authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Eagle Repository provides Guidelines for Shipping Eagles to the Repository.

Even if you only find eagle feathers, these feathers can't be kept, but can be transferred to the National Eagle Repository unless otherwise authorized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  You can learn more about eagle and other migratory bird feathers at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Feather Atlas.  

Remember, the possession of feathers and parts of any migratory birds is prohibited without a permit by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Special Instruction for Washington State:

If you found a dead eagle in the Puget Sound area, you are authorized to temporarily collect the eagle remains and transport them within 24 hours to the nearest drop-off center. Please review the list and call the nearest drop-off center to arrange transfer of the remains.

Technical Resources

Bald Eagle Disturbance

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed these National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines to advise landowners, land managers, and others who share public and private lands with bald eagles when and under what circumstances the protective provisions of the Eagle Act may apply to their activities. A variety of human activities can potentially interfere with bald eagles, affecting their ability to forage, nest, roost, breed, or raise young. The Guidelines are intended to help people minimize such impacts to bald eagles, particularly where they may constitute “disturbance,” which is prohibited by the Eagle Act.

Golden Eagle Disturbance

Image Details

Golden eagles may be sensitive to the presence and activities of humans and potentially easily disturbed.  The Service has drafted a synthesis of scientific information on impacts of human disturbance of golden eagles.

Impacts of Human disturbance on breeding golden eagles

Eagle Nest Protections

Along with protecting eagles, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act also protects eagle nests. Eagle nests are protected at all times, not just when the nests are in use by eagles. This means eagle nests can never be removed, relocated, destroyed, or obstructed, no matter what time of year it is, without a permit.

More information on eagle nest removal permits can be found on our Eagle Incidental Disturbance Take Permits and Nest Take PermitsPage.

Eagle Nest Survey Guidance

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced new guidance regarding eagle nest survey areas. The updated recommendation is to conduct field surveys for eagle nests only within 2 miles around the project footprint. This guidance supersedes the recommendations in the Service's 2013 Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance.

Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance

The Service developed Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance in 2013, which provides specific in-depth guidance for conserving bald and golden eagles in the course of siting, construction and operation of wind energy facilities

Regional Guidelines