After nearly disappearing from this state, the bald eagle is now thriving.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation reports 323 breeding pairs of our nation’s symbol, a record breaking number since restoration efforts began in 1976.

“Early indications from 2017 aerial surveys have revealed that approximately 73 percent of bald eagle territories are occupied this year,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “New York state has been a leader in the restoration and recovery of the bald eagle in the northeastern U.S., and this news confirms that our rivers, lakes, and forests are capable of supporting our nation’s symbol for generations to come.”
A record number of 53 new nesting territories were verified in 2016, increasing the total number of breeding territories in the state to 442. Of those 442 territories, 309, or 70 percent, were confirmed to host breeding pairs of eagles last year.
The 2017 numbers have not yet been confirmed. But, the number of nesting areas has increase slightly each year since 2010. In 2015, across 389 territories 264, or 68 percent, nesting pairs of eagles were documented.
Bald eagles were nearly eliminated in the 1960s, primarily because of the impact of DDT on nesting success and habitat loss along the shorelines of the state’s lakes and rivers.
In 1970, the state hosted a single unproductive bald eagle nest on Hemlock Lake in Livingston County. And in 1976 it started a “hacking” program, which involves hand rearing and releasing older nestlings in the absence of a parent bird. New York obtained nestlings from healthy populations of bald eagles in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Alaska.
In the 13 years the state engaged in “hacking,” 198 bald eagle nestlings were collected from areas with healthy populations, raised to independence with minimal human contact and released in New York. The program concluded in 1988, and 16 other states and the Province of Ontario, have initiated programs modeled after New York’s.
The state’s bald eagle restoration program ended in 1989, but the population has continued to grow, with birds nesting and wintering in traditional areas and taking advantage of open lands and habitats.
Last year, the DEC released a Bald Eagle Conservation Plan identifying and outlining strategies to address current threats to the state’s bald eagle population.
Public reporting also continues to play a crucial role in assisting the DEC in assessing the iconic species. Members of the public that have found a new nesting pair of eagles or can provide updates on the status of a nesting pair, should contact DEC at (518) 402-8957 or by email at [email protected].
For more information on bald eagles and how DEC manages the species, please visit the DEC website to view the Conservation Plan for Bald Eagles in New York State at http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/nybaldeagleplan.pdf.