OAK HARBOR, OH -- Ohio's bald eagles are having another successful nesting season with a modern-day record 78 eagle pairs in the state. Ohios eagles are also nesting in a record 28 counties, stretching from northwest Ohios Lucas County along Lake Erie, south to Ross County and from Mercer County, which borders Indiana, east to Mahoning County along the Ohio River.
More than 700 young eagles have fledged Ohio nests over the past 10 years. This year, the Buckeye States eagles reared 105 young eaglets, one short of last years record number.
Ohios skies are once again home to the majestic bald eagle, thanks to the commitment of state wildlife biologists and those Ohioans who support our wildlife diversity programs, said Governor Bob Taft.
Eagles were found this year in the following counties: Coshocton (1); Crawford (1); Delaware (1); Erie (7); Geauga (2); Guernsey (1); Hancock (1); Henry (1); Holmes (1); Huron (2); Knox (2); Licking (1); Lorain (2); Lucas (5); Mahoning (3); Marion (1); Mercer (1); Noble (1); Ottawa (12); Portage (2); Ross (1); Sandusky (10); Seneca (4); Stark (1); Trumbull (6); Wayne (1); Wood (2) and Wyandot (5).
The states Eagle Restoration Program began in 1979 with only four nesting pairs in the state - all along Lake Erie. Restoration efforts have included placing eaglets born in captivity into wild nests, building nesting platforms, acquiring and restoring wetlands in eagle breeding territories, rehabilitating sick or injured eagles, and intense education efforts aimed at landowners and the public.
Bald eagles that reach breeding maturity are inclined to establish nesting territories in areas where they were reared. Five new nests were confirmed this nesting season.
Eagles usually lay two eggs. This year, 29 nests have twins and nine nests hold triplets. Both female and male eagles share in incubating the eggs, which hatch in 35 days. Adult birds feed their young a varied diet, ranging from fish and waterfowl to muskrats and groundhogs.
Eaglets grow rapidly and are the same size as the adults with a wingspan of up to 7 feet by the time they are 15 weeks old.
According to wildlife biologists, young birds do not acquire the characteristic white head and tail feathers until age five or six. Young eagles are mottled brown and often mistaken for hawks. They learn to fly and leave the nest at about 12 weeks of age although the parent eagles stay nearby for the next month or two to protect and tend to the young if needed.
Adult bald eagles are year-round residents of the state, while immature eagles (those that have not reached breeding maturity) migrate sporadically from October through March. They reach breeding maturity at three to four years of age and choose one mate for life. An eagle's life span in the wild is generally 15 to 20 years.
Ohios best eagle viewing locations include the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area (Ottawa County), Pickerel Creek State Wildlife Area (Sandusky County), Killdeer Plains State Wildlife Area (Wyandot County), Mosquito Creek State Wildlife Area (Trumbull County) and along the Sandusky River watershed from Fremont to Tiffin.
Observers are reminded that bald eagles and their nest sites are protected by state and federal laws. Any type of disturbance around a nest could cause the pair to abandon the nest or discourage them from using the nest in the future.
The state's bald eagle restoration efforts are funded by the sale of the Ohio conservation license plates, including the bald eagle and cardinal plates. The license plates can be purchased through a deputy registrar license outlet or by calling the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles toll-free at 1-888-PLATES3. Funding is also provided by taxpayer contributions to the Wildlife Diversity and Endangered Species Fund through a check-off option on the state income tax form.