The third iteration of Pennsylvania Bird Atlas shows eagles making an astonishing comeback across Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia region, writes Anthony R. Wood for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The atlas is a massive census tasked with identifying all bird species that nest and breed in Pennsylvania. It is a five-year project currently in its second year, with results expected to be published in 2031.
Pennsylvania is one of several states that do surveys every 20 years to determine which birds are living where. The Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, and the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology have hired 2,400 census-takers for the canvassing.
“One of the main goals of the atlas is to provide data to the state for conservation priorities,” said Manny Dominguez Jr., a Philadelphia coordinator of the third iteration of the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas.
So far, the statewide survey has verified 40 nests of the once-endangered eagles in Philadelphia and its collar counties alone. Ospreys, also recently removed from the endangered species list, have been prospering in Pennsylvania, with their nesting numbers increasing tenfold.
By the time the survey is complete, it is expected that 180 nesting species will have been identified.
To learn more about the eagles and other birds making a remarkable return and the massive effort underway to track them, read the full story on The Philadelphia Inquirer.
