Though records for Vermont are sketchy, bald eagles were prominent in North America at one time. Estimates vary widely, but experts estimate that prior to Europeans' arrival, up to 100,000 bald eagles lived in what is now the lower 48 states of the United States, possibly as many as 500,000 in the early 1700s. Between the mid-1800s and 1940s, significant declines occurred, due largely to human activities. Clear-cutting and development destroyed eagle habitat. Feather collecting and bounties made eagles a target, and game hunting reduced the amount of carrion available for food. That was particularly damaging in the winter, since fishing was reduced by ice in many parts of the country. Bald eagles, like dozens of other species, were also decimated nationwide by DDT, an insecticide that thinned their egg shells. The Northeast's population fell to fewer than 100 birds by the early '60s. In New York, the population fell from as many as 72 nesting pairs to one pair in the '60s. Bald eagles were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 1967, and DDT was banned in 1972, starting a slow recovery that continues today. To learn more, click on one of the following links: National Bird Statutory Protections Regional Breeding Eagle Counts Terms of Use - Copyright 2007 Central Vermont Public Service Copyright photos CVPS, Floyd Scholz U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Web related issues || Site developed by Interactive Media Advertising