Both Eagles That Fell in Bar Harbor Wednesday Have Died
BAR HARBOR—Both bald eagles that fell to the Bar Harbor Road after a mid-air fight Wednesday have died, Acadia Wildlife Center, a local non-profit wildlife rehabilitation clinic and nature center, reported Saturday morning.
“Two bald eagles hit the pavement on the Bar Harbor Road after a fight with talons clamped together, spinning downwards,” the center shared. “These kind of fights can be performed during mating and during territorial disputes. In this case one of the birds was a four year old, testing his limits with a paired adult. Unfortunately, the pairs often cannot detach before they hit the ground and injuries result.”
Drivers passing by noticed the eagles and called for help.
“The juvenile was on the bottom and did irreversible damage to his spine and internal organs resulting in his death overnight,” the center said. “After spending the night at Acadia Wildlife, the adult was sent to our wildlife vet at Maine Wildlife Rehabilitation in Old Town, for radiographs on a broken leg and exam of an injured eye. Eagles cannot survive in the wild with one eye and this one was draining and painful. The femur was broken midshaft which may have been pinned, but the eye was the determining factor and he was humanely euthanized.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (IFW) says that Maine has more than 800 nesting pairs of bald eagles. Approximately 60 years ago, there were only 21 nesting pairs.
“Stewardship of bald eagle nesting habitat by landowners has been solicited since 1972 in Maine. From 1980 to 2009, MDIFW applied Essential Habitat rules at eagle nests under the Maine Endangered Species Act,” according to Maine IFW. “Land purchases and conservation easements now provide a lasting safety net for more than 400 eagle territories to safeguard recovery. An array of conservation organizations is integral to this strategy.”
The national Bald Eagle – Golden Eagle Protection Act is Maine’s primary legal standard for protecting nests. The birds were delisted from the endangered species list in Maine in 2008.
The eagles from Wednesday’s collision created a lot of concern in the community and a lot of state, nonprofit, and volunteer action.
“A case like this is very hard for all involved,” Acadia Wildlife said. “Many concerned drivers saw and worried about them. They were caught by animal removal agent, Tony Preston Schreck, and assisted by wildlife conflict agent, Stephen Grierson who had suitable carriers. The journey to our vet, Avery Berkowitz, was performed by volunteer Callahan Bryer. Most concerned of all was the eagle's mate who spent the day after looking for him and not understanding. The pair were long-time residents of Leland Point who had raised one chick this year, fortunately already fledged. Everything that could be done, was done but one of the unfortunate consequences of a healthier eagle population in Maine is a dwindling number of nest sites and an increase in competition for them. Very sad for all of us. Beautiful birds that I never get used to seeing.”
According to Enviro Literacy, “The biggest threats to eagles are primarily human-related. These include habitat loss, lead poisoning (often from consuming prey shot with lead ammunition), collisions with vehicles and power lines, and electrocution.”
Female eagles that lose their mate, typically the remaining mate stays in the area and “retains control of the nest and territory. They will likely use the existing nest with a new mate. Nests represent a significant investment of time and resources, making them valuable assets,” the group writes.
Acadia Wildlife has two bald eagles currently at its nature center.
“Ambassador animals must be carefully chosen to ensure some quality of life,” it explained on Facebook. “An adult who has spent his life in the wild and is stressed in captivity is not a good choice. We have two Bald Eagles in our Nature Center at Acadia Wildlife and one is still fairly stressed in captivity despite a lot of work to make him OK. So not a good choice for the eagle.”
When there are not enough eagle nesting sites due to the increased needs of growing populations within habitats, breeding-age eagles (often called floaters) begin to proliferate looking for territory that they can call their own. In the Chesapeake Bay region, it’s believed that the population of floaters is possibly six to eight times more than the population of breeding eagles.
According to the American Eagle Foundation, “Habitat destruction is a common threat shared by most species of raptor. With bald eagles, Cornell’s Birds of the World posits that loss of shoreline habitat is especially pernicious because it limits nest sites, roosts, and scavenging opportunities in habitats suited for the eagles’ preferred aquatic food. Because bald eagles prefer nesting in super-canopies with a commanding view of their surroundings, deforestation also plays a role in dwindling nest site opportunities.”
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
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To learn more about bald eagles in Maine.
To learn more about Acadia Wildlife.
Maine has an interactive story map showing nest recovery and contamination sites.
To learn more about what to do if you encounter injured wildlife in Maine, click here.
More about the Buehler study on bald eagles and lead concerns.
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