SAVING THE DESERT NESTING BALD EAGLE

Uniquely adapted to the arid Southwest, desert nesting bald eagles are geographically, behaviorally, and even biologically different from other bald eagles in the United States. No other bald eagle population nests under such conditions of high heat and low humidity or suffers such high juvenile and adult mortality. Because of their long persistence in a hot, dry, desert environment, desert eagles display unique adaptations to that environment, including winter breeding, frequent cliff nesting, and smaller size than most other bald eagles.

In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has managed the desert eagle as a distinct population for more than three decades, bringing it back from the brink of extinction: In 1970, only three reproducing nests existed, but by 2006, under close management, the population had risen to 43 breeding pairs. Yet as the agency geared up to remove bald eagles from the endangered species list nationwide, this rare raptor still hovered on the brink of extinction at a mere 43.

To ensure its survival, the Center and allies in 2004 submitted a petition to protect the desert nesters as a “distinct population segment” under the Endangered Species Act, which would mean continued protection for desert eagles. But in a stunning reversal of its own policy, the Fish and Wildlife Service in August 2006 denied the petition — meaning that the bald eagle’s 2007 delisting nationwide, which did not single out desert nesters for necessary extra protection, left these special eagles without the precious help they need to persevere.

Thankfully, as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Center and allies, in 2008 a federal judge ruled that the 2007 bald eagle delisting did not support the Service’s denial of our 2004 petition — in fact, the court declared, the agency’s 2006 decision was a violation of the Endangered Species Act. The desert nesting bald eagle is now back on the endangered species list where it belongs. With this victory under our belt, we’ll continue our legal and advocacy campaign to ensure that the desert nesting bald eagle gets the attention it needs and to defend the eagle’s precious river habitat.

ACTION TIMELINE

NATURAL HISTORY