News Release

OAK HARBOR, OH -- State wildlife officials are proclaiming 1999 as the "Year of the Eagle" in Ohio, as eagle populations reach record levels in the state with 57 nesting pairs and 72 eaglets fledged. Despite the federal proposal to downlist the bald eagle, Ohio Division of Wildlife Chief Mike Budzik says the eagle will retain its endangered status at the state level.

Today, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced a proposal to remove the bald eagle from the Federal Threatened Species List. Four years ago, the bird was downlisted from endangered to threatened.

"The federal recommendation to remove the bald eagle from its nationally threatened status is due to its tremendous comeback across the county," Budzik said. "But we are still building our population here in Ohio and I am not prepared to take them off the state's endangered list yet."

According to Budzik, once the birds are down-listed on the federal endangered species list, the strongest legislation that will protect bald eagles and their nests is the federal Eagle Act of 1940. "We are confident this act will continue to be enforced at the federal level to ensure continued protection of our national symbol," he said.

This year, wildlife officials located 57 active nests -- including 12 new nests -- in a record 20 Ohio counties. Of the 72 young raised, three eaglets were fostered into active nests after the eggs were retrieved and hatched in incubators upon being abandoned by one eagle pair.

In 1998, 46 nesting eagle pairs produced 43 offspring.
The state's bald eagle population has gone from a low of only four breeding pairs in 1979. Management and protection efforts, wetland restoration projects, and a ban on pesticides in 1972 continue to benefit the bald eagle population as it continues to expand its range across the state.

Eagle nests are currently located in the following counties: Delaware (1), Erie (5), Geauga (1), Henry (1), Knox (1), Lorain (1), Lucas (4), Mahoning (2), Marion (1), Mercer (1), Muskingum (1), Noble (1), Ottawa (11), Portage (1), Sandusky (8), Seneca (4), Summit (1), Trumbull (5), Wood (2), and Wyandot (5).

"Observing a bald eagle in the wild was very uncommon a decade ago," Budzik said. "The bald eagle baby boom of the 1990s, combined with continued efforts to protect eagle habitat, will provide an excellent opportunity for Ohioans to see eagles soaring across the state for generations to come."

Paralleled with the growing bald eagle population is Ohioans' support of conservation efforts to preserve the species. A new Ohio license plate, featuring the bald eagle, became available June 1. Fees collected through the sales of the plate are earmarked to acquire, develop, and rehabilitate bald eagle habitat in Ohio. Legislation authorizing the special plate was sponsored by Senator Robert Latta of Bowling Green.

Additional information about the new bald eagle license plate can be obtained by calling Bureau of Motor Vehicles at 1-888-PLATES3 or visit their website at www.state.oh.us/odps/division/bmv/b_eagle.html.

Bald eagle management projects are also supported through the Wildlife Diversity and Endangered Species Fund, derived from contributions to the state wildlife income tax checkoff program. The fund is also supported by fees collected from the sale of the special Ohio license plate featuring the Cardinal.