COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio’s resident adult bald eagles are already busy preparing for the next generation of eaglets, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Female bald eagles in Ohio typically lay one to three eggs sometime in mid-February or late March. Eggs are incubated by both parents for about 35 days, and the young eagles leave the nest about three months later, usually before the Fourth of July.
Although eagle sightings in the Buckeye State are more common today, bald eagles were once an endangered species. In 1979, there were just four bald eagle nests in Ohio. Thanks to partnerships between the ODNR Division of Wildlife, Ohio zoos, rehabilitation facilities and concerned landowners, bald eagle numbers began to climb. Bald eagles were removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in 2007 and from the Ohio listing in 2012. During the 2018 nesting season, ODNR Division of Wildlife biologists estimate that there were 286 eagle nests in the state, with mature eagles raising approximately 445 young eaglets.
“I am proud of our agency’s restoration efforts to bring back this iconic symbol of our nation, and thrilled the population is thriving here,” said Kendra Wecker, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. “Each time an eagle soars overhead, Ohioans have the opportunity to experience the natural beauty in our state. Nesting season is an exciting time, and I hope we can exceed 300 nests this year.”
March is a fantastic time to get outdoors and view eagle nests, as the trees have yet to leaf out, providing the public great views of active eagle pairs. Bald eagles typically nest in large trees such as sycamores, oaks and cottonwoods near large bodies of water with an ample supply of
