Bald Eagle Numbers Increasing in Massachusetts

Bald Eagles have seemed to find their way back to Massachusetts, according to MassWildlife's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

"In 2018, MassWildlife staff identified 76 territorial pairs of bald eagles in Massachusetts. This number is up from 68 pairs last year and much higher than the 59 pairs seen in 2016. From these nests, 65 chicks were successfully fledged—hatched and survived to fly—of which 45 were banded with silver federal bands and color-coded state bands," says MassWildlife.

Bald eagles disappeared from Massachusetts as a breeding bird in the early 1900s, with the last suspected nesting effort in 1905 in Sandwich. MassWildlife began restoration efforts in 1982 in an effort to retain nests in the state.

The numbers, in terms of population, have undergone a "slow but steady increase" since then, with the first successfully fledged young birds returning nearly 30 years ago, according to MassWildlife. They state that since 1989, the numbers have gone through a steadier increase.

MassWildlife states that the numbers do not reflect the entire population throughout the state and if anyone spots any nests in the Berkshires, please contact State Ornithologist, Andrew Vitz at andrew.vitz@mass.gov.