Eagles

Bald eagle about to fly, Kachemak Bay, Alaska, Source About to Launch https://www.flickr.com/photos/andymorffew/26075320352/, Andy Morffew of  Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK, (CC Attribution 2.0 Generic)

The American bald eagle has been the symbol of the United States since the Second Continental Congress selected it in 1782 [1][2].  Bald eagles are not actually bald-headed.  Their name derives from an older meaning of the word, i.e. “white-headed”.

There are 68-71 species of eagle overall, depending on who you ask [3].  These fall into 4 categories:

• sea eagles (which are excellent at fishing, and include the bald eagle);
• snake or serpent eagles (which favor snakes and other reptiles as prey);
• harpy eagles (which live in rain forests); and
• booted eagles/hawk eagles/buzzard eagles (which have feathers on their lower legs).

All are magnificent birds of prey.  Harpy eagles especially are giants which can weigh as much as 20 pounds [4].

Unfortunately, though eagles are apex predators, they face multiple challenges from the modern world.

The bald eagle population has made a remarkable comeback since DDT was banned in the 1970s under the Endangered Species Act [5].  DDT, once widely used as a pesticide, had nearly caused bald eagle extinction through thinning of eggshells and reproductive failure [6].

But loss of habitat, lead poisoning, electrocution, and wind turbines continue to be threats [7][8].

Loss of Habitat

Deforestation, wetland destruction, agriculture, and development have all contributed to shrink bald eagle habitat.  With prime nesting and foraging sites destroyed, eagles must compete for fewer and fewer resources.

Lead Poisoning

Eagles of all types are susceptible to poisoning from the lead bullets and fishing lures hunters and fishermen use.  Most hunters only take home the edible parts of deer, for instance, leaving the rest of a carcass.  Eagles can ingest the deadly bullet fragments which remain behind.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed a rule to phase out the use of lead bullets and lead fishing tackle in 2026 [9].  To this point, there is no national ban, though local bans do exist.

Electrocution

A surprising number of eagles are electrocuted while perching on electric pylons.  Autopsies of these birds reveal severe burns, then high impact injuries once they plunge to the ground.

Veterinarian Saito Keisuke has developed an inexpensive, irregularly shaped, and brightly colored device which can be placed atop electrical pylons to discourage eagles from landing there.  This has been successfully employed by power companies in Japan.

Wind Turbines

As more and more wind turbines are being built, the danger to eagles and other birds increases.  It is thought that birds have difficulty recognizing the threat from the massive, fast moving blades.  In Hokkaido, Japan at least 30 eagles were killed by wind turbines between 2020 and 2024.

Keisuke is now working to design vertical blades which would pose less risk [10].

Stewardship

The bald eagle is only one of the many creatures impacted by human activity.

Man was given dominion over the earth by God, with an attendant responsibility to care for the creatures on it (Gen. 1: 28; 2: 15).  This is the basis for the biblical principle of stewardship.  The Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25: 14 – 30), in particular, emphasizes the importance of using and managing the resources God has entrusted to us wisely.

Our fellow creatures are depending on that.

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[1]  American Eagle Foundation, “Our National Symbol”, https://eagles.org/what-we-do/educate/learn-about-eagles/bald-eagle-usas-national-symbol/.

[2]  Wikipedia, “American bald eagle”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle.

[3]  Storyteller Traveler, “68 Types of Eagles (4 Groups) Complete Guide to All Species” by Diane Diegor, 9/17/25, https://storyteller.travel/types-of-eagles/.

[4]  Exgenus, “Meet the Harpy Eagle, the Largest Birds in the World”, https://exgenus.com/meet-the-harpy-eagle-the-largest-birds-in-the-world/.

[5]  US Fish & Wildlife Service, “Eagle Populationn Status”,
https://www.fws.gov/project/eagle-population-status.

[6]  Animals Around the Globe, “DDT and the Bald Eagle:  The Pesticide that Almost Caused Extinction”, 3/21/25, https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com/ddt-and-the-bald-eagle-the-pesticide-that-almost-caused-4-219273/.

[7]  Institute for Environment Education (IERE), “Why are bald eagles declining?” by Jen Gale, 11/15/25, https://iere.org/why-are-bald-eagles-declining/#google_vignette.

[8]  NHK World Japan, Frontrunners, “Wildlife Vet – Saito Kesuke”, initially broadcast 1/5/25, https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2103030/.

[9]  The Meat Eater, “What Hunters Should Know about the New Lead-Ammo Ban” by Eli Fournier, 6/30/23, https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/wildlife-management/what-hunters-should-know-about-the-new-lead-ammo-ban.

[10]  Challenergy, “Vertical Axis Magnus-type Wind Turbine”,  https://challenergy.com/en/magnus/.

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