By Tony Gazso, Interpretive Naturalist

The bald eagle is a remarkable bird and a great conservation success story. It wasn't all that long ago that the symbol of our nation was on the brink of extinction. In the 1970s, there were less than five active nests in all of Ohio, and the bald eagle was extirpated in some states. The ban of the pesticide DDT saw the populations begin to come back, and by 2012 Ohio had 281 active nests. Bald eagles were removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 2007 and Ohio's list in 2012. Recently, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources released the results of a citizen science census performed in February and March of this year. The results? There are currently 707 active nests in Ohio, seven of which are right here in Lake County! It's truly amazing! Many of us can remember a time when seeing a bald eagle anywhere was a rare treat, Now, these majestic birds are quite common.

Lake Metroparks' Animal Ambasador Apollo

Of course, in addition to being a great example of conservation, they're awesome birds for many other reasons. Bald eagles are some of the largest birds you'll see in Lake County, with an average wingspan approaching seven feet! A bird that large needs a large nest and bald eagles make the largest. One of the biggest was located in Vermillion and weighed more than two tons. The largest on record belonged to a pair of bald eagles in St. Petersburg, Florida and was more than nine feet wide and six feet deep! Unlike many birds, bald eagles reuse their nests year after year.

Probably the most recognizable feature of the bird is its trademark white head, but did you know it takes most bald eagles about five years to attain their adult plumage? In fact, on rare occasions, a bird may never develop itstrademark look at all!

Juvenile bald eagle

Bald eagles are birds of prey that have a preference for fish. While they are good anglers in their own right, they will often take the easy route and steal fish from other birds, such as the osprey. All in all, the bald eagle is a remarkable bird and a great success story. We're truly lucky to see these creatures right here in our own backyards.