REACH FOR THE SKY

In the 1970s, the bald eagle was on the verge of extinction. Thanks in part to the pioneering work of one young biologist, this magnificent bird has made a spectacular comeback.

- MELISSA HOBSON

SAILING THROUGH THE AIR WITH ITS COLOSSAL, 2m wings outstretched, white head and yellow beak contrasting with its dark body, there’s no mistaking one of North America’s most iconic birds: the bald eagle.

The USA’s national bird has had a rollercoaster ride. Many people are familiar with the species’ astounding recovery following a small start, something but one chapter in this incredible success story usually flies under the radar. A young woman, alone in the woods, hand-feeding a vulnerable pair of eagle chicks.

Before she had embarked on her unusual role as eagle foster-mother, Tina Morris, a graduate from Cornell University, knew little about these birds. “I have to admit,” she recalls, “there were many times when I thought: ‘what on Earth am I doing here? How exactly am I going to manage this?’”

Her work was a vital intervention. Once abundant across the US, the bald eagle was nearly eradicated by the mid-1900s as a result of hunting, habitat destruction and, most significantly, the pesticide DDT, a cheap and effective chemical that had been widely used in agriculture and as a malaria control since the 1940s.

DDT was a disaster for bald eagles. It wasn’t toxic in itself, but the damage had already been done. The chemical lingers in the environment for many years, becoming increasingly concentrated as it travels up the food-chain. It washed into rivers and was absorbed by fish, which were then eaten by eagles and other birds of prey. The contamination had catastrophic consequences for the birds’ reproduction. When female laid her eggs, the chemical caused the shells to become so weak that they couldn’t withstand their parents’ weight, becoming crushed during incubation.