Fewer bald eagles born in Arizona in 2019

State wildlife officials say fewer bald eagles were born in Arizona in 2019, in spite of a record number of breeding areas.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department says it’s counted 71 eagle nestlings this year. That’s down from the 87 baby birds hatched in 2018.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act protects the birds nationally. The Arizona population has flourished since 1978, when biologists counted just 11 pairs in the state. There are now an estimated 74 adult breeding pairs.

Wildlife experts attribute the population’s gradual recovery to the efforts of a committee comprised of Arizona Game and Fish, other government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes.

The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona runs generally from December through June.

KYMA 2019