Created: Dec 19, 2022 07:56 AM
Bermuda’s juvenile bald eagle. (Photograph by Miguel Mejias)
A young bald eagle that arrived on the island in March was still on the hunt this autumn, according to the Bermuda Audubon Society.
The society said the predator was last spotted over the Mid-Ocean Golf Club in mid-November.
In the autumn edition of the society’s newsletter, Miguel Mejias writes: “The Bermuda bald eagle is often seen flying along the South Shore coast, especially between Somerset Bridge and Horseshoe Bay — keen eyes can spot it soaring to heights of about 10,000 to 15,000 feet.
“It occasionally appears in the more central parts of the island, including Spittal Pond and Harrington Sound.
“However, Port Royal Golf Course has become something of a haunt for the eagle, where the black metal poles of the driving range netting serve as a favourite perch.”
He said the bird’s long stay has excited many — although its choice of meal has drawn some criticism.
Over its eight months on the island, the eagle has been photographed eating Muscovy duck, mallards and even longtails.
“While no Bermudian wishes any harm to our beloved longtails, such predation events are not significant enough to threaten the population,” Dr Mejias said.
“We estimate that there are about 3,500 nesting pairs in Bermuda, and this number could very well be an underestimate. Furthermore, a few thousand longtails fledge from the island every summer.
“Thus, a single bald eagle is highly unlikely to cause any long-term harm to the longtail population.”
A bald eagle hunts over the Great Sound. (Photograph by Eva Botelli)
Since the longtails departed the island for the winter, the eagle has turned its attention to less popular prey — feral chickens — although Dr Mejias said the eagle was unlikely to make a dent in that population either.
“Love it or hate it, the bald eagle has adapted quite well in Bermuda and will leave on its own terms,” he said. “To me, its presence in Bermuda is a reminder of the success conservationists had in swiftly banning DDT for the sake of wildlife.
“Our bird is a juvenile, and the species takes four to five years to obtain the iconic brown body and white ‘bald’ head of an adult.
“How long will the eagle stay in Bermuda? Your guess is as good as mine. One thing I do know: it’s never a dull moment when a bald eagle visits Bermuda, and I’m happy to have been alive to see the 2022 eagle.”
The bald eagle, the national bird of the United States, can weigh up to 13lb with a length of 31in and a wingspan of up to 80in when full grown.
The species was hit by hunting and the use of pesticides in the US and was declared endangered in 1973 after only 417 breeding pairs were logged.
The population has since bounced back, with more than 10,000 breeding pairs reported in 2007.
The bald eagle is not the first to reach the island’s shores, but they are rarely seen in Bermuda with the last sighting before this year taking place in 1988.
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