Supporting America’s National Symbol: The Bald Eagle
Learn about the role of St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge in the recovery of our national bird.
Written by Meaghan Emory
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America—a quarter of a millennium—kind of a big deal. There is no symbol more powerful to represent this country than the magnificent Bald Eagle. The Bald Eagle is the only eagle species found solely in North America, making it the perfect representative. This national symbol represents strength through adversity, unrelenting power, and majestic grace that reflects the beauty of our American lands.
Although I’ve seen numerous Bald Eagles throughout my life living and exploring Florida’s coastlines, they’re typically soaring high above, or enjoying a meal a good distance away. Rarely do I have binoculars, so I hadn’t seen one up close—until a recent visit to St. Vincent Island.
A Memorable Bald Eagle Experience
During one of the permitted primitive whitetail deer hunts, my husband and I woke up before dawn to pedal our bikes into the wilderness. Along the way, we passed several signs on trees in a closed section of the island signifying the Bald Eagle nesting area. We had known about closed areas for shorebird nesting areas, but not Bald Eagles! We continued on another mile towards our selected hunting area—a safe distance away from the nesting area—and wondered excitedly if we’d witness any eagles flying through the trees.
An hour later, I found myself perched on a small tree stand strapped to a palm tree on the north side of the island. My husband sat in another—about 100 yards away. Between us was an intricate highway of game trails woven among palmettos. The glistening blue waters of Apalachicola Bay were just barely visible through the dense forest. As the sun began to break through the tall pine trunks and palm fronds, birds erupted into song. Some familiar, and many I couldn’t recognize. The hours dragged on as we waited for deer to arrive (they never did), and the bird songs dissolved into the sounds of the forest—quieting as the day dragged on.
One bird that completely stole my attention was a Bald Eagle. Even though we discussed it earlier that morning, I hardly expected one to depart the nesting area to visit us in our hunting grounds. Sometime in the early afternoon, the wooshing sound of enormous wings echoed through our small clearing, accompanied by high-pitched whistles (listen to the call of a Bald Eagle courtesy of the American Bird Conservancy). I couldn’t help but turn my head abruptly (which you shouldn’t do while trying to be discreet during a hunt) to witness this grand—and humongous—bird gliding gracefully among the pines, eye level with where I sat in the tree. Its white crown was unmistakable, and I was surprised by the ease with which it navigated the trees, given its huge 6-foot wingspan (fun fact: Bald Eagles can weigh up to 14 pounds and grow up to 3 feet tall!).
I was flooded with awe as I watched it fly, loop around, and to my great pleasure, landed on a fallen tree about 30 yards from my perch—its large, piercing eyes darting around, likely in search of a snack. It only rested for a moment, then departed gracefully towards the bay to search for some seafood instead. Despite the moment’s brevity, the memory will live in my mind “rent free” forever.
This memorable interaction in this wild space made me wonder how common it was—both this experience and the bird itself. I knew they were protected. But how much so, and how was the population faring these days? Seeing this apex predator up close made me consider how rare this sight would have been just a few decades ago, prompting me to look into the recovery of the Bald Eagle.
Triumphant Bird Under Threat
Although a powerful symbol, this species of bird is not without its own challenges. In fact, in the early 1960s, there were only 417 breeding pairs remaining throughout the entire lower 48 states. The population was decimated by habitat destruction and degradation, as well as illegal shooting, and the contamination of their food source by the insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, known as DDT (highly recommend reading the classic conservation book, “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson for more on this topic).
Once it was realized that the species was approaching extinction, Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act in 1940. This monumental action prohibits the taking (harvesting, killing, or harassment of) and possession of these raptors and their feathers, eggs, and nests. A 1962 amendment added the golden eagle, and the law became the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The 1973 Endangered Species Act, and the 1978 listing of Bald Eagles within it, turned the tide. (Additionally, Bald Eagle was also listed under the predecessor Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967.) By banning the pesticides poisoning their food source and protecting their nesting sites, we gave these birds the room they needed to make a comeback.
The Role of the Refuge
St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge includes several remote islands (Pig Island in St. Joe Bay, another part of the refuge complex, is also known to host Bald Eagle nests occasionally) that are distanced away from population centers—providing a haven for Bald Eagles to thrive and reproduce. Its location along the Gulf of America provides Bald Eagles with ample food—fish and other coastal delicacies. Refuge staff also close off sections of St. Vincent Island to visitors during the winter nesting season, as I witnessed during the primitive hunt. Several pairs of Bald Eagles are known to nest at the refuge each year, and I was lucky enough to witness one that was likely nesting on the island nearby.
Bald Eagles can live up to 30 years in the wild, and usually mate for life returning to the same nest every year. Their breeding season in Florida is approximately from October to May, and they build their nests in tall trees within view of water and an unobstructed view of the surrounding area. Nests can be up to 180 feet or more above ground and are usually 4-6 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep, so they need plenty of space. Given these requirements, it’s no surprise that St. Vincent Island provides such a prime nesting habitat.
There’s something magical about witnessing these impressive raptors on St. Vincent Island. Visiting this small piece of truly “Wild Florida” is like taking a journey back in time and experiencing the Gulf Coast landscape prior to development, the use of pesticides and before wildlife conservation measures were ever even needed. Thankfully, our nation is well-equipped with tools like the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act—to ensure these great symbols of our nation can continue to thrive. The population has now recovered so significantly that the Bald Eagle was delisted in 2007, and its population continues to increase. The Bald Eagle has become one of the greatest success stories of the Endangered Species Act, and though its population continues to grow, these powerful raptors continue to face ongoing threats—so continued conservation is needed.
Cheers to 250 years of freedom, and to the continued success and recovery of our nation’s bird.
References:
Wildlife watching at St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge | FWS.gov
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service