These eaglets and their parents nesting in the Abbott Marshlands are part of a success story of environmental stewardship in the USA.
Did you know that in the 1960’s there were only about 400 breeding pairs of Bald Eagles left in the United States despite its symbolic significance as America’s National Bird? Because of the efforts of concerned environmentalists, federal protections of the eagles and regulations regarding DDT were put in place that have allowed eagle populations to rebound in the last decades. (For more information on this, and how the Bald Eagle became the symbol of American freedom in the first place, check out this interesting article: How Did the Bald Eagle Become America’s National Bird?)
Not quite 3 months old, these Abbott Marshlands eaglets are already an impressive size and will soon be out soaring on their own across the marsh. Our local NJ Bald Eagle Project Volunteer was able to confirm for us that the Male in the Marshlands’ nest is one that was banded back in 2005. In the past 17 years, Male B87 has helped to raise a total of 17 eaglets in the Abbott Marshlands including his 2nd set of triplets this year. Two different female partners for the male have been observed over this time period.
The rich habitats of the Abbott Marshlands make the nesting eagles possible and YOU make the Friends for the Abbott Marshlands possible. Thank you for encouragement and support as we continue in our efforts to promote and protect this special place and all of its inhabitants, as many others before us have done.
Please remember to always minimize disturbance to any nesting birds. For some great tips on Eagle Nest etiquette, visit this article on the Audubon Website.
A special thanks to Gary Becker for sharing his photo!
