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HUNTINGDON -- American Bald Eagles once ranged throughout the United States in almost every state before teetering on the brink of extinction.
They reached an all-time low of 417 known nesting pairs in 1963 in the continental 48 states. Now, the Bald Eagle population has climbed to an estimated 316,700 individual Bald Eagles, including 71,400 nesting pairs.
This number indicates the Bald Eagle population has quadrupled since the last set of data was collected in 2009.
Bald Eagles will also be the subject of "All About Eagles," an indoor presentation and field trip hosted by the staff at Greenwood Furnace State Park at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Game Commission Office, located at 8627 William Penn Highway in Huntingdon.
The presentation will focus on the biology and recovery of the Bald Eagle. There will also be an optional eagle viewing opportunity at Raystown Lake, following the indoor presentation.
"This is a great opportunity to observe an active eagle nest and learn more about their habitat," said Jen Moore, environmental education specialist at Greenwood Furnace State Park.
Moore will be presenting with Amy Nabozny from the Game Commission.
"We will conduct an hour-long presentation on the history, biology and current threats to the Bald Eagle," Moore said. "The indoor presentation will be held at the new game commission office in Huntingdon. We will travel to Raystown Lake to view an active eagle nest."
The presentation will be held rain or shine. Attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars, cameras or spotting scopes.
A limited number of binoculars and spotting scopes will be available for use during the program.
Registration is not required. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.
When the United States adopted the Bald Eagle as its national symbol in 1782, there were as many as 100,000 nesting Bald Eagles lived in the continental states.
For a long time, eagles were shot by farmers and fishermen on a regular basis because they were a perceived threat to their livestock and salmon population. Bounties were also placed on eagle carcasses.
By 1940, the decline of Bald Eagles compelled Congress to pass the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which outlawed the killing and disturbing of eagles.
After insecticide was used extensively after the mid-1940s, Bald Eagle populations declined catastrophically. By 1963, only 417 nesting pairs were found in the lower 48 states. DDT was banned from use in the United States in 1972 and in Canada in 1973, making it possible for recovery programs to enable the eagles to make a comeback.
For more information, visit www.dcnr.pa.gov or find them on Facebook.