Bald eagle were found at a number of different sites during the Christmas Bird Count in Maine. Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
Several years ago, we had an unusual backyard bald eagle moment.
Susan Olcott
My daughter came running in to tell me there were five bald eagles in our tiny backyard in the middle of town. The only thing she wasn’t right about was that there were actually seven. We aren’t terribly far from the river, so I’m guessing they were resting on their way to go fishing. Last week, we had a similarly unbelievable observation.
“There’s a bald eagle standing on the beach. Come quick!” was the call.
Once again, a bit skeptical, but trusting my now-older daughters, I went down and saw it for myself. It was quite impressive to see an eagle so still and so up close. We took some photos before he flew up into a nearby tree, marveling at his wingspan that was broader than I am tall.
But, then the next evening, we heard the signature “ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ker” chirp and looked down to see the eagle in the same place, this time looking a bit more listless. When we got closer, he seemed to hardly even notice that we were there. If we didn’t know better about harassing wildlife, I’m betting we could have walked right up and touched him.
While at first, the experience seemed pretty amazing, it was also quite concerning. This is not normal behavior for a bald eagle. He ought to be perched high up scoping for food or dive bombing waterfowl or fish. With odd behavior two evenings in a row and decreasing activity from one night to the next, we were worried. Avian flu had been recently reported in Maine and we thought we might be witnessing it first hand.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is, as its name implies, very contagious. It most typically runs through backyard bird flocks like poultry where it can spread easily. This is where this most recent strain showed up in Maine at the end of June. Avian flu can be hard to assess as it presents a variety of symptoms. Sometimes animals die suddenly without any prior symptoms and sometimes there are signs like decreasing appetite and nasal discharge, much like with the human flu.
The good news is that this strain of avian influenza has not been detected in humans in this country. And, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it presents a low risk to the public. This was a relief as we had been in the area of the eagle for several days.
After watching the eagle for two days, the next morning our concerns were confirmed. Looking remarkably peaceful for a majestic and fierce predator, this giant bird was dead on the shore. It was hard to believe that this now still creature might have, not long ago, been one of the innumerable eagles I watched swoop down on unsuspecting eider ducklings, eager to nab them with their impressively sharp, strong talons and hooked beak. We wondered how long this eagle had lived out of its possible near 30 year potential lifespan.
On the advice of a locally knowledgeable birding friend, I called the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to report our eagle. That afternoon, a game warden came and collected it, letting us know that we could call back in a couple of weeks to find out the results of the autopsy which would confirm whether it had, in fact, died from avian flu.
If the eagle we found does turn out to have died from avian flu, he won’t be the only one. Apparently, several other bald eagles in the area have also tested positive. This is worrisome given the remarkable recovery story of the bald eagle.
In 1963, only 417 pairs of nesting bald eagles were known to exist. This was the result of a combination of illegal shooting, habitat distribution and the widespread use of the chemical DDT, which was used as a commercial pesticide.
Made famous by Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent Spring,” DDT was officially banned in 1972. Over time, populations recovered and, in 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list and reclassified as threatened.
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife, there were over 71,000 breeding pairs recorded in the lower 48 states in the 2018-2019 period. While eagles are no longer listed as endangered, they are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, both of which prohibit killing, selling or otherwise harming eagles, their nests, or eggs.
I’m hopeful that bald eagles will make it through avian flu as they have made it through past challenges. But, if you happen to find a bird that you suspect has avian flu, the best thing you can do is to contact Maine IF&W. They can handle the bird safely and test it as well. You can find their contact information at maine.gov/ifw/about/contact/.
If you’re interested in learning more about avian flu, you can find out more at maine.gov/dacf/ahw/animal_health/hpai/ where you can also sign up to receive updates and alerts by opting into the Avian Influenza email list.
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