The Bald Eagle is Still Endangered in New Jersey

I mentioned on the air about my bald eagle sighting yesterday and it got me thinking about how common these majestic birds are in the Garden State.

Yesterday, my family and I were driving through the Pinelands on our way to a baptism.  We were driving along and a bald eagle swooped down and skimmed the car's hood in front of us!  (Of course, I though it was a great omen for the Philadelphia Eagles, but not so much...)

Then the eagle flew back up to the top of another tree.  It was so cool to see!

So, today I started thinking about how often that happens here in New Jersey...

Here's what I found out:

•  You can (and should) report a sighting!  I did!
• In 1973, there was just one nesting pair of eagles in Cumberland County.
• Today, there are more than 100 nesting pairs of eagles in the state!
• Many years ago, bald eagle egg shells were thinned because of a pesticide that was used, those eggs would routinely not hatch.  That's no longer an issue.
• A bald eagle has brown feathers when born.  The white doesn't show up until the birds are about 4 years old.
• The bald eagle is still listed as an endangered species in New Jersey.

Super interesting!  So, if you see an eagle flying around, report it!