Once on the brink of extinction, thanks to conservation efforts the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has made a comeback. This predator can be found across North America to Northern Mexico and once had an estimated population size of 300,000-500,000. However, the use of DDT disrupted the bird’s ability to metabolize calcium and resulted in birds that were either sterile or laid eggs that were too thin and broke under the weight of a brooding adult. By 1963, only 417 pairs of Bald Eagles were left in the world and in 1967 the Bald Eagle was declared an endangered species in the United States.
Luckily, the ban on DDT allowed the Bald Eagle population to recover and in 2007 the bird was removed from the endangered species list and can now even been seen in New York City!
Juvenile Bald Eagle, @gatewaynps, Queens, NY. I love that the first time I get to see a Bald Eagle up close, it’s in Queens, NYC! 🍎 🦅 Day 94 of posting photos I’ve taken of NYC birds + wildlife. pic.twitter.com/ODis0SsQ3n
— Chris Allieri (@allieri) June 30, 2020
Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that you were surprised to find in a city? If so, let Lindsay know or tweet at us and you could be featured as a future observation of the week!
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