America's national symbol, the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was a common south Louisiana resident in the early 1900's. After experiencing dramatic declines similar to the rest of the nation, numbers of Louisiana eagles were precariously low by the early 1970's. Conservation and monitoring efforts have helped rebuild the population; however, despite its recovery, the Bald Eagle remains a species of conservation concern in Louisiana. Research being conducted by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in collaboration with the USGS Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Louisiana State University is examining the change in the eagle population over time and looking at what habitat types the birds are currently using for nesting. Knowledge of the ecological and other factors that predict eagle nest-site selection and nesting success is critical for regulating development activities that may alter, change, or degrade Bald Eagle habitat. This is especially important as human development continues to expand in Louisiana and elsewhere.

Louisiana's Wildlife Action Plan lists the Bald Eagle as a species of concern in 11 of the 37 terrestrial habitat types in the state. These listed habitats are closely associated with areas where eagles are found in Louisiana, but their habitat use has not been well documented. Nest characteristics were examined in the 1980's, when only a few nests were known to exist in the south-central part of the state. Since then, the population has expanded and although the majority of nests are still found in southern Louisiana, eagle nests can now be found throughout the state. Bald Eagles nest in Louisiana during the winter, but are rarely observed in the state during the summer. The cause of the seasonal decline in observations was not documented making it difficult to manage a highly mobile species that may be absent from the state for several months.

Tracking eagle movements and documenting their home ranges, migration routes, stopover sites, and summering areas are important objectives of the research being conducted with the help of the Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The data will allow better insight into eagle management and help to identify important areas and habitats that may be essential for eagles. Once key habitats have been identified, a risk assessment can be made to evaluate the potential for future problems. So far the researchers have found that the "missing" Louisiana bald eagles often migrate more than 1,000 miles north in the summer.

As a species of conservation concern in Louisiana, there are still aspects of Bald Eagle biology and behavior that are unknown. However, research and information on the nesting, movements and habitat use of this species will serve as valuable components to resource managers when making future decisions. It is promising that the data collected in this study will play a vital role in keeping the Bald Eagle one of America's great success stories.

Each month, the ONB features articles from Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units across the country. Working with key cooperators, including WMI, Units are leading exciting, new wildlife research projects that we believe our readers will appreciate reading about.