Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) | Affiliated Manuscripts | Further Data

Occurrence in Amherst & Connecticut Valley, Mass.
C19

Extremely rare or accidental in the county; occasionally seen on or flying towards the mountains

December

C20

Casual visitor at any season, but least likely in winter, most so in early spring; and possibly a few pairs nest

March - May

C21

Resident; seen in the spring and fall migrations and year-round at Quabbin Resevoir

January - December

Habitat
Lakes, rivers, marshes, and seacoasts.
Nest Materials
sticks, grass, moss, cornstalks, lichen, fine woody materials, downy feathers, sprigs of greenery
19th-20th Century Field Notes
BALD EAGLE . Brown ; head and tail , white . Length , 36 inches . Occasionally seen on or flying towards the mountains .

—H.L. Clark, 1887

21st Century Conservation Notes

Numbers declined seriously during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. Shooting was one major cause; even after the eagles were given full legal protection, they continued to decline, probably because of the effects of DDT and other persistent pesticides. Following the banning of DDT, numbers have been increasing gradually since the 1970s, with spectacular recoveries in some state.*