America 250: Celebrating a Ubiquitous American Icon

(MARYLAND) – From its image depicted on coins, dollars, national seals or even sports teams, there’s one animal symbol that truly represents the spirit of United States of America.

That animal is none other than the Bald Eagle.

There’s been a lot of effort since the 1950s to keep Bald Eagles from going extinct in United States.

At a time when the population was down to triple digits.

“That was due to mostly things like hunting and pesticide use. Over time, those birds were put on the federal endangered species list. So they were actually removed from that list in 1995, and then they were downgraded to at least concern in 2007,” says the Salisbury Zoo’s Collections curator, Luke Krider.

Efforts continue today to protect one of the bald eagles’ current breeding grounds.

We went out to the Blackwater Natural Wildlife Refuge where caretakers are creating the perfect environment for these majestic birds to build their nests.

Matthew Whitbeck, the Supervisory Wildlife Biologist at the refuge says, “We’re protecting habitat for which populations of bald eagles can, exist and continue to thrive here in the Chesapeake Bay. So we’ve got, these isolated, undeveloped lines of trees in which bald eagles like to nest. We have these marshes and water which support an abundance of fish populations…”

Actions taken by refuges like Blackwater are keeping the iconic birds population from decline.

“So it was through thoughtful conservation and management of an endangered species allowed the recovery and de-listing of these bald eagles. And now they continue to thrive here and habitats like Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge,” says Whitbeck.

Back at the Salisbury Zoo, dedicated zoo-keepers tend to their two Bald Eagles, so they can wow Americans big and small.

“We do have a full time veterinarian who takes care of them. Their whole entire life. We have a nutritionist, making their diets, and then, all together, we just give them really good husbandry and care so they can live beyond their wild life expectancy,” says Krider.

And if you’re familiar with the screech of the Bald Eagle, it might surprise you that it isn’t actually an Eagle you’re hearing, but a Red Tailed Hawk.