Eagle Population Soaring

The pesticide DDT nearly wiped out New York’s eagle population in the late 1960s. Since DDT was banned in 1972, the eagle population has made a comeback. This year, New York’s DEC reported a record number of 323 nesting pairs of eagles in the state. While the bird’s recovery has been remarkable over the past half century, eagles are still facing environmental threats. One of particular concern is lead poisoning. Kevin Hynes, a DEC Wildlife Biologist who works at the DEC Wildlife Health Unit in Delmar, discusses the impact lead is having on the eagle population.