Expert insights from: Peter Gros, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild
Bald eagles are not federally endangered today, but they’re still protected. After decades of decline driven by habitat loss, illegal shooting and the pesticide DDT, bald eagles recovered enough to be removed from the federal threatened and endangered species list in 2007. They remain protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Key takeaways
- Bald eagles were once at serious risk in much of the lower 48 states.
- DDT thinned their eggshells, making it harder for pairs to hatch healthy young.
- Conservation work, habitat protection and the 1972 DDT ban helped bald eagle populations recover.
- Bald eagles remain protected by federal law, even though they’re no longer endangered.
- Today’s threats include lead poisoning, rodenticides, collisions, nest disturbance and illegal shooting.
Why were bald eagles endangered?
Bald eagles were endangered largely because of DDT, a pesticide that built up in their bodies through the food chain and thinned their eggshells. Habitat loss and illegal shooting added to the pressure, but DDT was the driving force behind the decline.
As DDT broke down in the birds’ systems, their eggshells grew thin and fragile. Thinner shells were more likely to break during incubation, so fewer eggs hatched and fewer eaglets survived. DDT rarely killed adult eagles outright. Instead, it worked quietly through the food chain, reducing the number of young that made it.
The U.S. banned most uses of DDT in 1972. But eagle numbers stayed low, and in 1978 bald eagles were listed as endangered across the lower 48 states — except in Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, where they were listed as threatened. Alaska remained the only state with a strong, stable eagle population.
How did the bald eagle population come back?
Bald eagles came back thanks to habitat preservation, captive breeding programs, public awareness campaigns and stronger legal protection. In 1995, they had recovered enough to be reclassified from endangered to the less severe status of threatened. After continued recovery, bald eagles were removed from the threatened and endangered species list in 2007.
Several actions helped drive the recovery, including:
- Banning most uses of DDT in the U.S.
- Protecting nesting and foraging habitat
- Enforcing laws against killing or disturbing eagles
- Supporting monitoring, rehabilitation and reintroduction efforts
- Increasing public awareness around eagle conservation
Their comeback is one of the best-known conservation success stories in the United States. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, bald eagles in the lower 48 states grew from at least 9,789 nesting pairs in 2007 to 71,467 nesting pairs — an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles — by 2018-2019.
“They almost disappeared in the 1940s through the use of the toxin DDT. Now, due to reintroduction programs and the fact that we don’t use those poisons, they’re off the endangered species list — and it’s very hopeful they’re going to continue to survive in the lower 48 states,” said Peter Gros, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.
Endangered vs. protected: What’s the difference?
The difference comes down to legal status versus legal safeguards. “Endangered” describes a species’ status under the Endangered Species Act. “Protected” means laws still limit or prohibit actions that could harm an animal, its nest or its eggs, even if it’s no longer endangered.
For bald eagles, that distinction matters. Their population recovered enough to be delisted in 2007, but they remain protected under other federal laws, including the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These protections help reduce disturbance, illegal killing, nest destruction and other human-related threats.
Are bald eagles protected today?
Yes. Bald eagles are still protected even though they’re no longer federally listed as threatened or endangered. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act prohibits taking, possessing, selling, purchasing, transporting or disturbing bald eagles, their nests or their eggs without proper authorization. They’re also protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
In practice, that means people shouldn’t disturb active nests, collect feathers, approach eagles for photos or interfere with an eagle’s normal feeding, nesting or sheltering behavior. If you spot a bald eagle in the wild, observe from a safe distance and follow local wildlife rules. And if you find an injured eagle, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or local wildlife agency.
What threats do bald eagles face today?
Today’s threats to bald eagles are mostly human-related. Even as populations rebound across much of their native range, wildlife rehabilitation centers still take in eagles that have been injured, sickened, displaced or orphaned — often by preventable hazards. Caring people from all walks of life, along with agency officials, bring these birds in for care.
Although DDT is no longer the major threat it once was, individual bald eagles can still be harmed by:
- Lead poisoning from contaminated prey or carcasses
- Rodenticide or other toxin exposure
- Collisions with vehicles, windows, power lines or other structures
- Fishing line, netting or other entanglements
- Nest disturbance
- Illegal shooting or harassment
PAWS Wildlife Center, working with other permitted facilities, continuously adapts to counter these threats. The PAWS team admits an average of 15 bald eagles annually, with numbers dramatically increasing in recent years. Most of these patients are injured adults that require intensive veterinary care and rehabilitation. The center also cares for orphaned nestling and fledgling eagles that need to be reunited with their parents or raised to adolescence by permitted rehabilitators. With much effort, skill, cooperation and luck, many bald eagles that are admitted to PAWS eventually return to the wild.
A bald eagle returns to the wild after rehabilitation
A recent PAWS case involved a young bald eagle that fell to the ground when its nest collapsed in the backyard of a Seattle home. Most raptors keep feeding their young even after the birds first leave the nest. But in this suburban setting, the parents didn’t return to care for it. Concerned members of the public contacted PAWS Wildlife Center, and with guidance and assistance from trained staff, brought the grounded youngster in to be triaged.
The PAWS team first tried to reunite the flightless nestling with its parents using a makeshift rooftop nest. When that didn’t work, the team committed to raising the eagle for six months, until it fledged and could hunt on its own. This effort culminated in a hopeful release in early December, when eagles gather along Washington state’s rivers to gorge on chum salmon.
Watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild for more stories about wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation in action.
How can you help protect bald eagles?
You don’t have to be a biologist to help bald eagles. A few everyday choices (and a little support for the groups working to protect them) can make a real difference.
Here’s how you can help:
- Watch bald eagles from a safe distance.
- Stay away from nests and follow posted closures.
- Use pesticides and rodenticides responsibly.
- Choose non-lead ammunition or tackle where possible.
- Keep fishing line, trash and other hazards out of natural areas.
- Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or local wildlife agency if you find an injured, sick or orphaned eagle.
If you have bald eagles in your area or find other wildlife that needs help, learn what to do if you find an injured animal.
Bald eagle FAQs
Are bald eagles still endangered?
No. Bald eagles aren’t federally endangered or threatened today. They were removed from the federal threatened and endangered species list in 2007 after decades of recovery, but they remain protected under federal law.
Are bald eagles protected?
Yes. Bald eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These laws help protect bald eagles, their nests and their eggs from harm or disturbance.
Do all 50 states have bald eagles?
Not quite. Bald eagles live throughout the lower 48 states and Alaska, but not Hawaii. They’re most common near rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastlines, where food is reliable, though sightings vary by region and season.
Is it rare to see a bald eagle?
Not as rare as it once was. Because populations have recovered in many areas, bald eagles are easier to spot today. You’re most likely to see them near open water, nesting territories, winter feeding areas or migration routes.
What should I do if I find an injured eagle?
Don’t touch, feed or try to move the eagle yourself. Keep a safe distance and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, local wildlife agency or animal control office for guidance.
Sources:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), accessed June 2026.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Case of DDT: Revisiting the Impairment, updated January 2026, accessed June 2026.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, accessed June 2026.
