Tag Archives: Bald Eagles

Five bald eagles killed in Delaware, officials investigating

(Reuters) – Five bald eagles have died in Delaware, state officials said on Tuesday, weeks after 13 of the U.S. national birds were determined to have been killed by humans in neighboring Maryland.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said it was investigating what killed the eagles, but would not comment publicly on possible causes.

Three of the eagles were still alive and very ill when they were discovered at the weekend, Sgt. John McDerby of the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Natural Resources said in a statement. They died a short time after their rescue.

“We don’t know how many eagles may have been affected, so we are asking the public to notify us immediately should they see birds that appear sick,” McDerby said.

Thirteen bald eagles were discovered dead in Maryland last month, with lab results indicating the birds did not die of natural causes, including diseases such as avian influenza, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The agency declined to say whether the birds were poisoned but said the investigation was focusing on humans as the cause of death.

The 13 birds represented Maryland’s largest bald eagle die-off in 30 years, officials said.

The bald eagle, which almost disappeared from the United States decades ago, was removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007 after habitat protection and the banning of the pesticide DDT led to its recovery.

The federally protected bird is a symbol of the U.S. government and is featured on currency and in the presidential seal.

The maximum fine for harming a bald eagle is $100,000 and up to one year in prison.

(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere in New York; Editing by Paul Tait)

13 bald eagles found dead in Maryland, $25,000 reward offered

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to determine who or what killed the 13 bald eagles that were recently found dead in a Maryland community.

According to a news release from the service, a citizen on Saturday discovered some of the deceased birds in a field in Federalsburg, a town in the center of the Delmarva peninsula.

Investigators searched the area and ultimately found 13 bald eagle carcasses, the service said.

The iconic eagles are the official bird of the United States and appear on the country’s Great Seal and currency. While the eagles were moved off the endangered species list in 2007, the service says the birds are still protected under federal laws that criminalize killing or wounding them.

Anyone found guilty of violating the Bald and Gold Eagle Protection Act can be fined up to $100,000 and sentenced to a year in prison, according to the service, which is teaming up with a variety of animal protection groups to offer a reward for information that leads to a conviction.

The total reward stood at $25,000 following a $15,000 pledge from the Center for Biological Diversity, the nonprofit organization said in a news release. The center added the 13 bald eagle deaths are the most that Maryland has experienced in any one incident in more than 30 years.

“For many Americans the bald eagle represents freedom and strength,” Catherine Kilduff, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “The unthinkable death of 13 birds at once stands in stark contrast to the ideals this majestic wild animal personifies.”

Authorities believe the birds might have been poisoned, according to the center.

“If they were poisoned or shot, the heartbreaking deaths of these 13 bald eagles is a crime,” Kilduff said in a statement. “Those responsible need to be caught and prosecuted.”