This winter the eagles are back!

One of my favourite wildlife sightings are bald eagles. Until recently, I had thought that spotting a bald eagle was a rare occurrence. In fact, until my move north, I had seen only one–during my childhood on a trip to the Cabot Trail. It was a magnificent creature, and I thought myself lucky to have spotted one in my lifetime.

Now, living in Minden, we have a nest of eagles just beyond our backyard. The pair and their offspring have chosen the tallest tree on the horizon as their home, and it’s a thrill to both see and hear these beauties on a daily basis. And what’s even better? The eagles return to their nest year after year, giving me the opportunity to watch as the juveniles grow. I’ve been witness to the playful chases of eaglet siblings, frustrated calls from mom and dad, and magnificent air ballets as the birds swoop and glide in the air currents.

I’ve since found out that bald eagles were on the brink of extinction, which is why I thought spotting one was an incredibly rare when I was younger–it was! In fact, there were only a few hundred breeding pair left on the continent in the early 60s. It wasn’t until the banning of harmful pesticides and bald eagle hunting, that their populations were able to recover. As of 2023, bald eagles were officially listed as ‘not at risk’ in Ontario. Even more incredible is that in 2024, bald eagles were found nesting in Toronto for the first time in the city’s recorded history.

It’s truly amazing how a species can rebound when we learn to live peacefully alongside our wild neighbours. My hope is that eagle sightings become increasingly common for all, so that more people experience the humbling moment of spotting an animal in the wild.

Ever wonder what a bald eagle sounds like? Most people get them mixed up with the sound of a red-tailed hawk. Check out the Cornell Lab's All About Birds library to hear bald eagle sound recordings.
Or check out the Nature Conservancy of Canada for more bald eagle facts.

Photograph of flying eagle by Matthew Schwartz