History and Nesting Population of Bald Eagles in Louisiana

The population of nesting Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Bald Eagle) in Louisiana reached precariously low numbers in the early 1970s after experiencing marked declines similar to the rest of the continental population. From 1975 to 2008, aerial surveys of all known nests have been conducted within the state to monitor the population. We used data collected over the 34-year nest-monitoring program to quantify the recovery of the nesting population in Louisiana. Active nests increased exponentially from 7 to 387, exhibiting a mean annual rate of increase of 11.1 +/- 0.3% per year with no indications of slowing. Accounting for increases in nests over the monitoring period, we found relatively slight changes in reproduction, with productivity and brood size peaking in 2000 and 1999. By 1990, the nesting population in Louisiana had exceeded each goal of the Southeastern States Bald Eagle Recovery Plan, and the species was removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife in 2007. However, the continued stability and growth of the nesting population may depend on the ability of Bald Eagles to cope with increasing levels of human activity, as well as the protection and availability of current and future nesting habitats.