Bald Eagle Population Soars in Kentucky

The bald eagle population in Kentucky continues to flourish, with 164 nesting pairs recorded so far in 2017, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. This is twice as many as seven years ago.

There are multiple factors that have contributed to the rise in the eagle population. The ban of DDT, a pesticide that caused eagle eggs to become fragile, has improved their health significantly. This, along with the nationwide reintroduction program for the birds and an increase in suitable habitats in the state such as water reservoirs and large wetlands, has helped the once-fleeting population come back to Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources reports.

This trend is also common nationwide, with breeding pairs increasing since the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

— Meredith Abercrombie