Division of Wildlife Estimates 806 Bald Eagle Nests in Ohio
March 22, 2022 at 3:26 p.m.
If you travel Butler County along the Great Miami River you may encounter one of our County's most famous couples. Ralph and Alice are bald eagles who have been nesting along the river for years.
Recently, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has released the 2021 Ohio eagles nests count. In 2021, the ODNR stated there are 806 nests in Ohio. That's a 14% increase over the 707 documented nests reported in 2020. Ralph and Alice's nest are part of that count. Ralph and Alice are in their 8th mating season and have produced 15 eaglets.
The Division of Wildlife estimates that Ohio had 806 bald eagle nests in 2021. Photo submitted by Ohio Natural Resources.
According to the press release:
The bald eagle was once an endangered species, with only four nesting pairs in Ohio in 1979. Thanks to partnerships between the Division of Wildlife, Ohio zoos, wildlife rehabilitation facilities, concerned landowners, and conservationists its population increased. After much hard work and continued conservation, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in 2007, and from Ohio’s list in 2012.
Bald eagles are protected under both state law and the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, making it illegal to disturb bald eagles. When viewing these majestic birds, remember to respect the bird’s space and stay at least 100 yards away. Disturbing bald eagles at the nest site could lead the pair to abandon the eggs.
As with many of Ohio’s native wildlife species, bald eagles require specific habitat conditions to thrive. Bald eagle habitat protection and research is funded by the sale of bald eagle conservation license plates, income tax check-off donations to the Endangered Species and Wildlife Diversity Fund, and sales of the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp.