Page 10 - January 24, 2018

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It’s no snow job; bald eagles

nest in the winter

BY BECKY ROBINETTE WRIGHT
Endangered Species Act of 1973 in 43
of the lower 48 states. The Virginia
Endangered Species Act was adopted
in 1972, and bald eagles were listed
as a state endangered species pursuant
to that act.
In 1972 DDT was banned, and the
eagles began making a comeback. In
1995, bald eagles were downlisted to
threatened.
On August 8, 2007, following
decades of documented population
recovery, bald eagles
were delisted from protection under
the federal Endangered Species Act,
though the species remained listed
as threatened under the Virginia
Endangered Species Act. In August
2012, the Board of Game and
Inland Fisheries delisted bald eagles
from protection under the Virginia
Endangered Species Act, effective
January 1, 2013. As of that date, bald
eagles are not protected under either
federal or state endangered species
laws. They remain federally protected
under the Eagle Act of 1940 and the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and also
protected under Virginia law and state
game regulations regarding native
wildlife species.
County residents have many
Thoughts of birds nesting may wonder. It can be up to thirteen feet females, and the resulting thinner opportunities to view this majestic
conjure up images in the mind of deep and over eight feet wide weigh eggshells cracked when adult birds and magnificent bird. Bald eagles
robins arriving in spring, pecking up to a metric ton. incubated their own eggs. Widespread have been spotted in many areas,
the ground for a satisfying meal of Bald Eeagles not only have reproductive failure and a precipitous including Route 10 near Chesterfield
insects and busily building nests as adapted to thriving through the winter decline in eagle numbers followed: County Airport to Enon, and they
days become warmer. But not all season, they have also survived near the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be regularly spotted at Henricus
birds nest in the spring and summer. extinction in the United States, even first listed the bald eagle as federally Historical Park.
Bald eagles are a winter nesting bird. locally in Virginia. endangered, March 11, 1967 under To learn more about Virginia
“Some eagles in the southern According to the Virginia the Endangered Species Protection eagles visit the Virginia Department
part of the James can be sitting on Depart,emt Game and Inland Act of 1966. In 1978, bald eagles of Game and Inland Fisheries at
eggs by mid-December,” explains Fisheries, the Bald eagle first gained were listed as endangered under the dgif.virginia.gov
Mark Battista, Chesterfield County federal protection in 1940, under what
naturalist. was later named the Bald and Golden
Chesterfield and other areas of Eagle Protection Act. That law curbed I WANT YOU... FREE
Virginia have faced brutal winter illegal hunting and shooting of eagles, Review of
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destined to stay place in the nest to populations to plummet to a Virginia Suite A
incubate the eggs,” Battista said. low of 33 breeding pairs in the 1970s. Chester, VA 23831 Business
“However, on a warm day, the eagles When DDT washed into waterways, (804) 588 – 9095 Tax
can leave the eggs for short periods. it was absorbed by aquatic plants Preparations
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center of the eagle nest is composed chain, and ingested by eagles when
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10 JANUARY 24, 2018 news@villagenewsonline.com