Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative

Welcome to the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative, a collaborative effort to create a breeding bald eagle population in the Green Mountain State by raising and releasing eagle chicks in the Lake Champlain Valley. Through a federal appropriation secured by Sen. James Jeffords and the cooperative efforts of The National Wildlife Federation, the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, Outreach for Earth Stewardship, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Central Vermont Public Service, 26 fledglings have successfully been released since 2004.

A young eaglet in a nest in Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge stands over a meal of diamondback terrapins in Kent County, Md. The bird was brought to Vermont and raised in a hack box as part of an effort to repopulate the bald eagle in the Green Mountain State. For more information, click HERE.

Until April 2006, Vermont was the only state in the contiguous United States that lacked breeding bald eagles, but one nest has produced chicks this spring. Through education, protection and release of captive-raised birds, we hope to assist bald eagles and ultimately remove them from Vermont's endangered species list.

Vermont has enjoyed success in restoring peregrine falcons, ospreys, loons and other endangered species. Their numbers have grown significantly in recent years, but bald eagles remain an endangered species in Vermont. Some bald eagles summer and winter here, but no documented breeding had occurred in decades prior to 2005. Historical records are limited, with evidence of occasional summer visits in the early 1900s, and a breeding pair at Lake Bomoseen in the 1940s.

Bald eagles are now breeding in Vermont on their own, but by raising and releasing chicks, we hope to accelerate the process, and strengthen public awareness of the role bald eagles and other predators play in Vermont.

To see more information on eagle efforts, a report on the 2005 season, and the program thus far, click northeastwildlife here.

The People Behind the Eagles
The Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative includes a wide variety of groups and individuals, each with a unique role and background. From a U.S. senator to wildlife biologists, these people are working together to give bald eagles a hand in recovery. To learn more about some of these individuals, click here.