The requirements to authorize the removal of bald eagles or golden eagles (50 CFR 22) contain information on eagle permits for « the receipt, possession and transport of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) and their parts, nests and eggs in the United States for scientific purposes, educational and control of looting; for religious purposes of Indian tribes; and to protect other interests in a particular location. This part also regulates the transport of bald eagle and golden eagle parts to or from the United States for Indian scientific, educational and religious purposes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues and maintains permits to welcome eagles through electronic permits and provides additional information on eagle fishing licenses and eagle protection through our eagle management program. The Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668d) is a United States federal law that protects two species of eagles. The bald eagle was elected the national emblem of the United States by the Continental Congress in 1782 and received legal protection under the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940. This law was expanded in 1962 to include the golden eagle. [1] Since the original legislation, the Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles Act has been amended several times. It currently prohibits anyone from « taking » bald eagles without a permit issued by the Minister of the Interior. Ingestion is described as including their parts, nests or eggs that disturb or disturb birds.
The law provides criminal penalties for those who « take, possess, sell, buy, barter, offer for sale, buy or barter, transport, export or import a bald eagle. [or any golden eagle], living or dead, or any part, nest or egg thereof. [2] Bald eagles and golden eagles and their feathers are highly valued by most Native Americans. Usually, the logo of an eagle feather is considered a symbol of Native Americans. They honor and respect eagles because they are believed to symbolize certain qualities such as honesty, truth, majesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power, and freedom. [13] Native Americans consider eagles to be the ruler of the sky because they fly higher than all other birds and are therefore closer to God. It is also believed that because eagles fly higher in the sky for a long time, they carry prayers from the ground to the creator of the world. [13] For all these reasons, wearing or receiving an eagle feather is considered a badge of honour in many Native American cultures. Catching and killing an eagle was a manual task, so some men were tasked with doing it. Many tribes wore eagle feathers in their hair during ceremonies and dances.
Men would be given a certain number of feathers depending on the task performed. For example, a Chippewa looter is dressed up to give two feathers to a warrior who scalped an enemy and five feathers to one who captured a wounded prisoner on the battlefield. [14] Under the Endangered Species Act, a monitoring plan has been developed in the states for all species that have been restored and delisted. The service requires continuous monitoring of bald eagles over a 20-year period, with sampling events recorded every 5 years. States have attempted to annually review the bald eagle population, including their nesting and habitability areas. The goal of this plan is to collect data from all known nesting sites and combine it with selected area samples from eagle habitats across the country to create a dual-base estimate. The combination of the two data results will provide an accurate estimate of the actual bald eagle population. The plan includes close monitoring of bald eagle nests by state conservation agencies. The objective of the plan is to distinguish a 25% change in the nests of bald eagles occupied nationally over a period of 5 years, with an 80% probability of detecting a probability of 25%, or more difference between the 5-year intervals.
At least 200 patches are needed to study across the country with habitats that include a medium to high density of bald eagle nests. Weather, changes in habits, population cycles, pollutants and productivity are taken into account as the bald eagle population declines. In addition, further research, expanded monitoring and resumption of federal protection will take place under the Endangered Species Act. The recovery of the bald eagle is a fascinating achievement. The intent of this plan is to preserve the public and protect it from harm. [29] Seventeen-year-old Orlando Delgado was recently charged with a misdemeanor for hunting on property without the owner`s consent, although he admitted to shooting the bald eagle not once, but several times. Perhaps being so brave and honest when law enforcement arrived on the scene may have earned the boy some indulgence. The young man should consider himself lucky, because the punishment for killing a bald eagle is certainly harsher than simply hunting without the consent of a landowner.
This permit allows Native American tribes to possess bald eagles or live golden eagles legally acquired for religious activities. To be eligible for this permit, tribal units must be registered and receive services from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Federal Eagle aviary is a facility that houses bald eagles and golden eagles not released for Native American religious purposes. The permit is intended to provide Native Americans with an additional source of feathers through Mauser. However, human contact with live eagles is minimal with this type of permit. The custodian is responsible for caring for eagles kept under this permit. The custodian must be 18 years old and it is recommended to have 300 hours of experience over a period of 2 years. Experience should include: training, capturing, restraining, handling and transporting eagles. In addition, daily breeding activities such as grooming, feeding and medical management are required. Some of this experience can be gained by participating in courses and seminars on migratory birds and birds of prey.
[35] Guidelines for eagle cages are also provided by the licensing authority to ensure decent and healthy conditions. The guidelines recommend a minimum enclosure of 12` L x 10` W x 9`H for non-flying eagles and a minimum enclosure of 40`L x 10`L x 9`H for a flying eagle. Accurate records should be kept on a calendar year basis reflecting the acquisition, veterinary care and disposal of eagles. These records and kennel maintenance may be inspected by an authorized representative at any reasonable time. In addition, an annual activity report must be sent to the Regional Migratory Bird Licensing Office by January 31 of each year. [35] The objective of a recovery plan for each species is to improve the species` classification or remove it from the list of threatened species. The bald eagle has recovered in most parts of the United States. The ban on DDT has had a huge impact on the recovery of bald eagles and golden eagles. The bald eagle is a prominent resident of New York City.
In the 1960s, the decline of these New York birds increased due to the spread of pesticides and habitat destruction. In 1976, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) set up a restoration program called the « hacking technique. » The goal of this technique is to take eagles (hacking) from wild nests and take them to an area where they are raised in artificial nests. [27] The young birds were placed on an artificial nesting platform for several weeks. Birds lived in cages once their feathers were fully developed. In addition, they were fed and observed by human caregivers. At about 12 to 13 weeks of age, eagles were tested for their ability to fly. To monitor the birds, a small radio transmitter was placed on the bird`s back. CED helped the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Cornell University release 23 successful young eagles. Young eagles learned to hunt and eat independently, without parental care. Once raised and mature, they were released where they were raised, hoping to become breeding birds.
The program has been successful across the country for 13 years. In 1989, the program ended due to observation by government biologists. It has been observed that the population of released birds in New York State is increasing and successfully breeding. As a result of the Environment Quality Obligations Act and the Environmental Protection Fund, these birds regularly grow by taking advantage of open land and habitats. [28] The law provides criminal penalties for individuals who « take, possess, sell, buy, barter, offer for sale, buy or exchange, transport, export or import bald eagles […].
