American Bald Eagle

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Location: North America, Bermuda
Habitat: Seacoast, riverbanks and lakes

As the symbol of the United States, the bald eagle is making a comeback. People all over the world have used the eagle as a symbol of strength and power. When settlers first arrived in Ohio, bald eagles were very common along Lake Erie, major river systems and inland marshes. But, over the years their numbers began to dwindle due to hunting, pesticides and habitat destruction. In 1990, only 10 bald eagle nests were active and fewer than 30 birds were living in Ohio.
Fortunately, through public education and the protection under State and Federal laws, Ohio's eagles are increasing in numbers. In 1998, 30 eagles hatched successfully. The nest of an eagle is no small matter and the birds return to the same nest year after year to raise their young. The largest nest ever recorded in Ohio was located in Vermilion. The nest was 12 feet high, 8 1/2 feet wide and weighed nearly two tons. It was used by several different pairs of eagles for more than 35 years until it fell 80 feet to the ground during a storm in March of 1925.