Take means to pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, destroy, molest or disturb. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act has prohibited take of bald eagles since 1940 and golden eagles since 1962. A number of other activities, including the transportation of eagles and feathers and parts that have been illegally obtained, are also prohibited under these laws. These laws prohibit the possession, use and sale of eagles or their feathers and parts. Disturbances near areas that are important for roosting or foraging can stress eagles to a degree that leads to reproductive failure or mortality elsewhere.Īlong with bald eagles, golden eagles are protected by three federal laws: the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act. Size, shape and distribution of golden eagle nesting territories vary with topography and prey availability. That said, having only four years of data from the survey years of 2006 to 2009, limits our ability to assess the long-term population trend. However, golden eagle populations are believed to undergo a roughly 10 year cycle. The best available survey data we have for this species indicate, at best, a stable population in this geography, with a possible decline in the population of juvenile golden eagles in the southern Rocky Mountains.īased on these data, we can estimate that there are roughly 30,000 golden eagles across the United States. The most recent survey of golden eagles across four large bird conservation regions in the western United States, which makes up 80% of the species’ range in contiguous United States, provided an estimate of 20,722 golden eagles of all ages. Although golden eagles have not suffered the striking decline in population that bald eagles have since recovered from, there continues to be concern that golden eagle population numbers may be potentially declining across the country. Here in the United States, eagles have been long revered. We were thrilled to be able to declare victory in this case in 2015.Golden eagles are a global species, found worldwide, and have great significance for many people across the world. We support the responsible development of renewable energy, but urge the industry to conduct assessments before placing turbines in places where Golden Eagles and other protected birds will likely be impacted. In a bid to support the production of renewable energy, in 2009, the federal government established rules granting the wind energy industry and other sectors permission to kill eagles under limited circumstances for up to five years. In a 2013 decision that may further increase eagle mortality, this rule was changed to allow wind energy companies to obtain 30-year permits to kill eagles without prosecution.Ĭoncerned about the impact of this rule on eagle populations, in 2014 we filed suit about the 30-year eagle permit rule as part of ongoing advocacy for Bird-Smart Bird-Smart Wind Energy. Of all of these, the poorly sited Summit Repowering Project (formerly the Altamont Winds wind energy project) has long been one of the worst killers of eagles and other raptors. One of the biggest threats comes from the ever-growing gauntlet of wind turbines being built in areas that are critically important for Golden and Bald Eagles and other birds.Īs our 2016 report, " 10 of the Worst-sited Wind Energy Projects for Birds" noted, the nearly 5,000 turbines operated by four different developers in the Altamont Wind Resource Area in California have killed more than 2,000 Golden Eagles since 1998 (the date when the facilities started keeping track of bird mortality). Turbine Threat to EaglesĪlthough the Golden Eagle is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North America, it is declining in many areas, especially in places where human populations are growing and creating opportunities for the birds to collide with manmade objects. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1962 made it a federal crime to kill an eagle, but other threats to the birds are increasing. But this hasn't stopped the species from coming under threat. The Golden Eagle is one of the most impressive raptors in North America, as its huge beak and talons suggest. This eastern population is also uniquely threatened and numbers no more than 2,000 individuals. It's found mostly in the western half of the U.S. This eagle favors open country and uses a variety of habitats, ranging from arctic to desert. Reflecting the reverence many have for this raptor, the Golden Eagle is the national symbol for five countries: Albania, Germany, Austria, Mexico, and Kazakhstan.
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