Article

Bald Eagles Return to Cuyahoga Valley

A brown-and-white eagle flying with wings spread wide and grass in its talons.
An adult bald eagle flies with grassy nesting material in its talons.

NPS/Jim Kaftan

Why Are Eagles Here?

The Cuyahoga Valley, with expansive, secluded wooded wetlands and rebounding fish populations, has become an ideal place for eagles to feed and nest. The great blue heronry in the Pinery Narrows was a natural choice for the eagles’ first nest location. Eagles prefer tall trees and pre-existing nests that they can expand. Bald eagles have been steadily increasing throughout the nation. In Ohio the greatest concentration occurs along western Lake Erie near Sandusky, from where eagles have been dispersing to new areas.

How Many Eaglets Hatched at Pinery Narrows?

Beginning in 2006, bald eagles built a nest in the Pinery Narrows area in Brecksville, the first recorded in Cuyahoga Valley. That nest was unsuccessful, but the breeding eagles returned and nested the following years with these results:

Year Nesting Results Cumulative Total: Number of
Eaglets Fledged
2006 The first tree was too small and nest blew down. -
2007 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 1
2008 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 2
2009 A late winter storm in February caused the nest to fail. -
2010 Two eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 4
2011 A storm in early March blew down the entire nest tree; another nest was started but no eggs hatched. -
2012 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 5
2013 Two eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 7
2014 Two eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 9
2015 The nest failed for unknown reasons. -
2016 Three eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 12
2017 Two eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 14
2018 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 15
2019 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 16
2020 One eaglet successfully hatched and fledged. 17
2021 The nest failed for unknown reasons. -
2022 The nest failed, maybe due to increased competition between eagles. -
2023 Two eaglets successfully hatched and fledged. 19
2024 Two eaglets successfully hatched.

Continued Protection

The US Fish and Wildlife Service removed bald eagles from the list of Threatened and Endangered Species on August 9, 2007. In an amazing coincidence, this was about a month after the Cuyahoga Valley's first eaglet fledged. These birds are still protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Both federal laws prohibit taking, killing, selling, or otherwise harming eagles, their nests, or eggs.

Visit our Bald Eagles page to learn more.

Learn More

Loading results...

    Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    Last updated: May 22, 2024