15 bald eagles born this year on Calif. islands

[depakid]

Efforts to bring bald eagles back to Southern California's Channel Islands have taken a giant step this year with the birth of at least 15 chicks on three islands. National Park Service officials say that brings to 36 the number of chicks who have survived since 2002, when recovery efforts started.
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LOS ANGELES — There haven't been so many bald eagle chicks on the Channel Islands in 50 years — since chemicals contaminated their food supply and destroyed all of the majestic birds on the island chain off the Southern California coast.

Bald eagles disappeared from the Channel Islands by the early 1960s due to human impacts, primarily pollution. Millions of pounds of the deadly pesticide DDT and other chemicals were dumped in the ocean off the Palos Verdes Peninsula between the 1940s and 1970s. The chemicals caused bald eagles to lay thin-shelled eggs that either dehydrate or break in the nest.

The recovery project is being funded by the chemical companies and cities that dumped the pesticide.

So far, the biggest problem for the young birds from the Channel Islands has been trying to fly from the islands to the mainland, said Annie Little, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist. It is 18 miles from Santa Cruz Island to shore, Menard said. The young birds, which haven't developed their flying skills yet, get tired, land in the water and can't get back up, Little said.

There has been no evidence of death by pesticide yet, Little said.

As the birds age and get stronger, they will venture farther and may come in contact with higher concentrations of contaminants, Little said. But so far, there have been no pesticide fatalities.

Eagles start reproducing when they are 4 or 5 years old, so it won't be long before biologists know if the eagles hatched on the island since 2002 will rebound for future generations. Until now, all the chicks have been offspring of birds brought to the islands as adults from Alaska and Northern California.

To help keep track of the birds, biologists on Thursday took two 8-week-old chicks out of their Pelican harbor nest on Santa Cruz Island. The chicks are about two weeks away from leaving the nest.

During a live webcast, biologists banded the pair, attached wing tags and radio and satellite transmitters. Little said the birth in 2006 of a bald eagle chick marked as A49 was a milestone because it was the first chick to hatch on the islands without human help since 1949.

More: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hE8WFW4_b6DDrweM7La02B5qggCAD9FVEHRO0

[TransitJohn]

1. Thanks.

Nice story. Aren't birds hatched and not born though? :shrug: The media is awesome.

[tabatha]

2. That's a great photo.

Some good news amongst all the gloom.

[xchrom]

3. Awesome! Nt

[BrklynLiberal]

4. What wndeful news. We can sure some...Mother Earth needs something good for her.

[depakid]

5. Follow up: Researchers are keeping an eye on A49, who is apparently ready to settle down

It seems A49 -- the first bald eagle to hatch on the islands without human help since 1949 -- is dating. A49, now 4 years old, stayed on the island, and researchers said they've seen the bird in courtship behavior this season.

No nest has been found, but it won't be long before A49 starts to breed, bringing the recovery program full circle.

Fifteen chicks have hatched this year on three of the eight islands -- Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and Santa Catalina -- bringing to 36 the number of chicks that have survived since recovery efforts started in 2002, said Yvonne Menard of the National Park Service.

Eagles start reproducing when they are 4 or 5 years old, so it won't be long before biologists know if the eagles hatched on the island since 2002 will rebound for future generations. Until now, all the chicks have been offspring of birds brought to the islands as adults from Alaska and Northern California.

You can watch one of the nests http://www.nps.gov/chis/photosmultimedia/bald-eagle-webcam.htm">on the bald eagle webcam

And read more here: http://www.nps.gov/chis/photosmultimedia/bald-eagle-webcam.htm