Bald eagle populations ‘thriving’ in Ohio: ODNR

(WKBN) — As many Americans conclude patriotic celebrations, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reports that the country’s feathered symbol of freedom is doing well in the Buckeye State.

The 2024 annual spring survey showed a robust estimate of 841 active eagle nests in Ohio, according to ODNR’s Division of Wildlife. Last year, biologists estimated 910 nests in the state. Although the number of estimated nests is lower in 2024, key indicators suggest that Ohio’s bald eagle population is resilient and continues to thrive, ODNR reports.

The Division of Wildlife’s 2024 bald eagle nesting survey consisted of flying five blocks, each roughly 10 square miles, to search for eagle nests in woodlots and along rivers. Two of the blocks — one near Sandusky on Lake Erie and the other over Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area — are flown over every year.

The average nest success rate — which is the number of nests that have eggs or eaglets — this year was 82%, compared to 48% in 2022 and 73% in 2023. The number of eaglets per active nest was 1.6 in 2024, which is higher than 2022 (0.8) and 2023 (1.2).

Bald eagle management by the Division of Wildlife includes habitat conservation with an emphasis on wetlands and wooded river corridors, working with rehabilitators who help injured birds, and enforcing state and federal protection.

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