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Vol. 31, No. 19 For more information, contact nongame biologist Alice Doolittle at 302-653-2882. Record Number of Birdwatchers Report Sightings of Bald EaglesThe Division of Fish and Wildlife has received more than 180 calls and e-mail messages from eagle watchers throughout Delaware in response to its request for assistance with the 23rd annual national Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey, which this year was Jan. 3-17. "The response was overwhelming," according to Nongame and Endangered Species Program Coordinator Alice Doolittle. She is now sorting reports by location and time to determine how many individual eagles are in the state. "Many of the sightings were of the same bird. In addition, a number of the sightings were outside the survey period. But that information still may help us find additional bald eagle nests in the state," Doolittle said. Last year, the program documented 16 pairs of bald eagles nesting in Delaware. The count, which was started in 1979 by the National Wildlife Federation, is now administered by the U.S. Geological Survey. The information from all of the states is analyzed to monitor trends in the populations of eagles throughout the United States. Since its inception, the count has provided evidence of increased eagle populations in much of the U.S. In response, the bald eagle was downlisted from an endangered species to a threatened species in 1995. In July, 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed removing the bird from the endangered species list altogether but a final decision has not been made. If the species is delisted, it will remain protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The USFWS would work with state wildlife agencies to monitor the status of the species for a minimum of five years, as required by the Endangered Species Act. At any time it becomes evident that the bird again needs the Act's protection, the Service would relist the species. Delaware's bald eagle monitoring project is funded by contributions to the "Give a Wild Gift" checkoff on line 21a of state tax returns. -30- Document number 40-01/01/01/19 |
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