Each year, the New Hampshire Audubon Society, in cooperation with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife program, meticulously tracks the state’s bald eagle population. This year, the efforts were rewarded with a pleasant surprise. A record 59 bald eagles were spotted on survey day, and a total of 67 were seen during the two-week Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey period. The 59 birds seen on survey day represent a 30 percent increase from the previous record of 44, set in 2006.  

Chris Martin, a senior biologist in N.H. Audubon’s Conservation Department, uses the survey to assess the bald eagle’s progress. “It is a bottom line confirmation. The eagle population is on the increase,” he said. 

These numbers are not just a regional phenomenon, as the bald eagle was taken off the Threatened Species list last June. The Threatened Species list is a slightly less urgent precursor to the Endangered Species list, which included the bald eagle until 1995. However, Martin suggests, this is no time for too much celebration. “The efforts have gone into what the numbers ought to have been all along,” he said.

A quarter century ago, the bald eagle population seemed to be in serious peril. In 1982, only two of the birds were spotted on survey day in New Hampshire. This can largely be attributed to widespread destruction of habitat and contamination of food supplies. The gravity of the situation called for immediate action, which came in the form of several state and federal laws designed to protect the eagle’s scarce remaining habitat.

While the plight of the bald eagle became a part of public consciousness in the 1960s, the recovery process has been a long and slow journey. One factor is the bird’s unusually slow reproduction rate. The female lays only one to three eggs each year, with only half of the eaglets surviving their first year of life.

The presence of DDT in the environment exacerbated this already slow process. While not lethal to adult bald eagles, DDT proved to taper the bird’s eggshells. The results were frail eggshells and an increasingly infinitesimal reproduction rate. The United States banned production of the pesticide in 1972. Over time, the residual effects of DDT in the environment began to lessen, helping lead to the bald eagle resurgence we see today.

Continual efforts must be made by society in order to see lasting improvements in the bald eagle population. If their habitat continues to dwindle, we could wind up right back where we started. Martin urges New Hampshire residents to be cognizant of the bald eagle’s reliance on shorelines. If we neglect their habitat, “(bald eagles) won’t have the places they need,” Martin cautioned.  

The one-day survey count took place on Jan. 12 for most of the state, with the lone exception being the Lakes Region, which held its count on Jan. 10. The total two-week count took place from Jan. 2 to 16. Over that time, a record-setting 67 bald eagles were reported, but the state considers the one-day total a more accurate indicator of the bald eagle’s presence in New Hampshire.

Improvements in the bald eagle’s population do not necessarily translate to widespread success in other bird populations. Different birds depend on various aspects of a diverse ecosystem. The bald eagle’s comeback is meaningful, in that it shows a concerted public effort. But the success does nothing for the northern harrier, which is still included on the Endangered Species list. The harrier depends on wetlands and meadows for survival, but less public acclaim for the bird has led to less stringent land preservation regulations.

Public concern, however, is growing, according to Charles Bridges, administrator of the Habitat and Diversity Programs for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. “We’re seeing greater public interest, but the need is still pretty high,” he said. The need for added support stems from exponential development, which continues to reduce the amount of habitat available to New Hampshire wildlife.

Another key factor in promoting diverse bird populations is recognition of migratory patterns. New Hampshire can make sacrifices to preserve land, but, as Charles Bridges pointed out, locals have no control over conditions in South America, where many birds migrate for the winter. Pesticides such as DDT are currently being used in many South American countries. These harmful practices demonstrate the need for collaborative efforts when addressing the issue of bird preservation. Bridges concludes that we must work together across international borders for the sake of all birds. If we do not, “we’re not meeting their winter needs,” he said.