The return of the bald eagle to Ohio’s skies is one of the state’s most celebrated conservation achievements. These raptors, once nearly absent, have made a remarkable comeback to the state’s major waterways. This success reflects decades of dedicated effort to clean up habitats and protect the species from human impact. Tracking the population provides a valuable measure of the overall health of Ohio’s ecosystems, particularly its wetland and river systems.
Ohio’s Current Bald Eagle Population
The most recent data from the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW) indicates a thriving population, measured primarily by the number of confirmed nesting pairs. The 2024 annual spring survey estimated 841 active bald eagle nests across Ohio. This figure is a slight decrease from the 910 nests estimated in 2023, but biologists note that year-to-year fluctuations are normal and do not signal a decline in the species’ overall health.
The successful productivity of the nests is a key indicator of population health. The 2024 survey showed a strong average nest success rate of 82%. Furthermore, the average number of eaglets produced per active nest was 1.6, which is well above the 1.0 eaglet per nest needed for the population to sustain itself. This high reproductive success confirms that Ohio’s bald eagle population continues to expand its range throughout the state.
The Historic Recovery of Ohio’s Eagles
The current robust numbers stand in stark contrast to the population’s near-total collapse in the mid-20th century. By 1979, the entire state of Ohio contained only four confirmed nesting pairs, a devastating low point. The primary cause of this severe decline was the widespread use of the pesticide Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, following World War II.
This chemical accumulated in the food chain, eventually poisoning the fish that form the majority of an eagle’s diet. DDT residues interfered with the birds’ calcium metabolism, causing female eagles to lay eggs with shells too thin to withstand the weight of the incubating parent. This reproductive failure, exacerbated by habitat loss from development along waterways, pushed the species toward extinction in Ohio.
A major turning point came with the federal ban on DDT for agricultural use in 1972, followed by the species’ placement on Ohio’s endangered species list in 1974. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) initiated a restoration program in 1979, which included fostering captive-bred eaglets into wild nests to bolster the struggling population.
This conservation work, combined with protection from the federal Endangered Species Act, allowed the population to begin its recovery. The bald eagle was removed from the federal threatened and endangered species list in 2007 and was delisted in Ohio in 2012. Bald eagles and their nests remain protected under state law and the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibits disturbing the birds or their nesting sites.
How Ohio Tracks Eagle Nests and Locations
The Ohio Division of Wildlife employs a combination of professional surveys and citizen science to monitor the breeding population. Each spring, the division conducts aerial surveys over a portion of the state to estimate the total number of active nests. These surveys involve flying over five designated blocks, each approximately ten square miles, to search for nests along rivers and in wooded areas.
Two of these survey blocks, located near Sandusky on Lake Erie and over the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area in northeast Ohio, are flown annually due to their consistently high eagle concentrations. The other three blocks are rotated each year to cover different areas of the state, such as the Maumee River corridor and Grand Lake St. Marys. Biologists use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to record the precise location of each nest for future reference and monitoring.
The ODOW relies on citizen scientists, encouraging the public to report new bald eagle nest locations through the state’s website or mobile application. Wildlife staff follow up on these public reports with ground verification to confirm activity and location. The highest concentrations of nests are consistently found in the state’s northern regions, particularly the counties bordering Lake Erie, such as Ottawa, Sandusky, and Erie, where abundant wetlands and fish provide ideal foraging habitat.