Their numbers were declining before DDT, due to 
both habitat destruction and hunting which led to 
the Bald Eagle Act in 1930.  DDT arrived on the 
scene about the same time and was nearly the nail 
in the coffin.  The Chesapeake Bay region is one 
of the few places in the lower 48 that still had 
bald eagles while they disappeared altogether in 
other states.

Melanie



>Hi all,
>
>I'm not talking about JUST Maryland Bald Eagles. 
>On a national scale, they WERE almost all killed 
>do to hunting.  Hawk Mountain was founded by 
>people that were against the hunting of raptors, 
>which were viewed as "vermin".
>
>Richard
>
>
>>From: Christian Kessler <>
>>Reply-To: 
>>To: 
>>Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Long-eared owls
>>Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:28:25 -0400
>>
>>I believe it was DDT spraying, not hunting, 
>>that drove Bald Eagles so close to extinction. 
>>and it was the termination of DDT use that 
>>permitted them to come back so well that a trip 
>>to the Potomac on either side of the river is 
>>likely to produce a sighting. chris kessler
>>falls church
>>
>>RICHARD JILL WOOD wrote:
>>>Hi all,
>>>
>>>I'm going to ask a couple of questions about 
>>>these owls that I am probably not the only 
>>>person out there wondering about:
>>>
>>>A.  What about those of us that have seen 
>>>Long-eared Owls in our "birding careers", and 
>>>have seen them just by accident?  I suppose we 
>>>were "harming" them, too?
>>>
>>>B.  Why do we single out these owls for this 
>>>special treatment?  What about all of those 
>>>people that trekked to see the Kingbirds, 
>>>Flycatchers and other rarities in the area? 
>>>Are we not stressing them as well?
>>>
>>>I've seen Long-eared Owls before, and quite 
>>>frankly, I want to see them again.  And not 
>>>just because of a "tick" (I hate that term). 
>>>I want to see them as many times as I can 
>>>before their habitat is gone and they are here 
>>>on this planet no more.  It really shames me 
>>>that I am a part of a society that 
>>>"celebrates" the comeback of species like Bald 
>>>Eagles, when it was us that nearly HUNTED them 
>>>to extinction.
>>>
>>>As far as those more "knowledgeable folks than 
>>>me" that say, "we are probably disturbing a 
>>>pair that want to breed", I think we are 
>>>guilty of this almost everywhere we go to 
>>>bird.  What about those that DRIVE their cars 
>>>on Padre Island in Texas, where Snowy Plovers 
>>>breed, while these stressed birds are breeding?
>>>
>>>Good birding,
>>>Richard
>>>
>>>
>>>>From: Gerald & Laura Tarbell <>
>>>>Reply-To: Gerald & Laura Tarbell <>
>>>>To: 
>>>>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Long-eared owls
>>>>Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:20:36 -0500
>>>>
>>>>I am going to admit some ignorance as to the owls we have been viewing. I
>>>>thought they were probably migrating thru and were not likely to stay here.
>>>>That's because I never bothered to consult my only Owl book. Although it is
>>>>dated, -Alcorn, 1986 - it says and I quote, "It is not highly migratory and
>>>>the winter range is approximately that of the breeding range."
>>>>     I have been advised by more knowledgeable folks than me that we are
>>>>probably disturbing a pair that want to breed. The fact that they keep
>>>>moving only underscores the likelihood that we are disturbing them.
>>>>     With this in mind, I recommend that the tours stop. I know another tick
>>>>on a list is exciting, but I for one have decided to discontinue visiting
>>>>Morgan Run for a while. I hope others act responsibly and do the same. It
>>>>practically took somebody hitting me over the head with it.
>>>>     For reference I stole the page out of 
>>>>Birder's Handbook on them, so here
>>>>are some more interesting facts:
>>>>
>>>>BREEDING: Conifer and mixed conifer-deciduous 
>>>>forest, especially near water;
>>>>occasionally deciduous forest, also parks, orchards, farm woodland.  1
>>>>brood. Mating system is monogamous
>>>>DISPLAYS: Courtship: male flies in erratic 
>>>>zigzag with deep, slow wingbeats,
>>>>occasionally gliding and clapping wings together beneath body.  Courtship
>>>>feeding.
>>>>NEST: Usually in abandoned nests (especially crow, also squirrel, hawk,
>>>>magpie, heron, raven).  Perennial.  Rarely scrape on ground, of small
>>>>sticks, inner bark strips, pine needles.  Female selects site.
>>>>EGGS: White. 1.6" (40 mm).
>>>>CHICK DEVELOPMENT: Female incubates. Incubation takes 26-28 days.
>>>>Development is semialtricial (immobile, downy, eyes closed, fed). Young are
>>>>able to fly after 23-26 days. Both sexes tend young.
>>>>DIET: Overwhelmingly rodents, rarely amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects.
>>>>Hunts over open areas, strictly nocturnal.  Ejects pellets.
>>>>
>>>>CONSERVATION: Winters s to c Mexico.
>>>>NOTES: Occasionally nests in loose colonies; prey density may determine
>>>>breeding density.  Pair bond long-term where sedentary on year-round
>>>>territories.  Male feeds incubating female.  Young hatch asynchronously;
>>>>female broods.  Young fly at about 34 days; parents feed them for 56-63
>>>>days.  Perform distraction display in groups when colonial.  Family unit
>>>>retained perhaps until winter.  Roosts, often communally, in dense cover,
>>>>less often in caves, rock crevices.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Copyright © 1988 by Paul R. Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye.
>>>>
>>>>     Jerry Tarbell
>>>>     Carroll County
>>>
>>>_________________________________________________________________
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>>>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Play Flexicon: the crossword game that feeds 
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-- 
Melanie