Something
Wild
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Annual Report of the Wildlife Conservation Fund
Swift Fox
You can
make the
difference
Remember our wildlife
and the wild places
that we want future
generations to enjoy.
Make sure to “check”
for wildlife on your
state tax return.
Look for the peregrine
falcon symbol and
donate all or a portion of
your tax refund to the
Wildlife Conservation
Fund. You can also
donate throughout the
year by calling (402)
471-0641 or visit us
online for details at.
OutdoorNebraska.org
All donations are fully
tax deductible
2010
Nongame Is...
Over 2,000 species of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles,
amphibians, and plants are considered nongame species in
Nebraska, species that are not hunted, trapped or fished.
Species such as hawks and herons, bats and brown snakes,
turtles and frogs, flying squirrels and prairie flowers. In
addition, tens of thousands of invertebrates, like beetles
and butterflies, also fall under the nongame category. These
constitute 98% of all species in Nebraska. By law, revenue
Photo by Gerry Steinauer
from hunting and fishing licenses cannot be spent directly
on nongame species. The Wildlife Conservation Fund,
formerly The Nongame Species Fund, is the state’s primary
source of funding for monitoring, researching, managing
and conserving such spectacular species as the whooping
crane, bald eagle, swift fox, river otter, western prairie fringed
orchid, and blowout penstemon. By supporting the Fund
with a tax-deductible donation, you are taking an active part in
Blue flag (Iris virginica)
conserving our state’s diverse wildlife and our natural legacy for future generations.
Nebraska’s River Otters
By Amy Williams and Sam Wilson
The river otter is native to Nebraska and Despite the high profile of the
could be found in most rivers, streams and reintroduction and role as a flagship species,
wetlands up until the early 1900’s when it was relatively little is known about river otter
eliminated due to habitat destruction in the ecology in Nebraska. In 2006 the State
form of draining of wetlands and destruction Wildlife Grants program and the Wildlife
of stream side habitats
and unregulated
trapping. Fortunately
river otters were
not eliminated
everywhere and
Nebraska was able
to reintroduce river
otters with the help of
trappers in states like
Louisiana, Idaho, and
Alaska. Between 1986
and 1991 more than
150 river otters were
trapped in other states
and released at 7 sites
in Nebraska. They
Photo by Bob Grier
can still be found in
the areas they were
reintroduced and are
currently listed as a
threatened species in
Nebraska. Poppa at ice edge, North Platte River near Lewellen
Conservation Fund began providing
funding to the Nebraska Cooperative
Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
(NCFWRU) to collaborate with the
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
(NGPC) in conducting a study with
the objective of trapping 20 river otters
and collecting information on home
range, habitat use, daily and seasonal
movements, and survival along the big
bend area of the Platte River using radio
telemetry.
The river otter telemetry study
concluded this year with a total of 18
otters being trapped and implanted with
transmitters and over 1200 locations

Photo by Bob Grier

taken over the past three years. NGPC
Non-game Mammal and Furbearer
Program Manager and University of
Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student Sam
Wilson will complete the telemetry study
by determining habitat use and home
Mom and yearling on the ice
range size for river otters in Nebraska.
Another collaborative project using
the telemetry data began in fall of 2008.
This project was inspired by the recent
invasion of common reed (Phragmites
australis), a large grass that is associated
with wetlands. The ability of common
reed to spread rapidly and over large
areas has caused it to invade many native
plant communities in Nebraska and
encroach on wildlife habitat. Given the
importance of wetland habitats in the
Great Plains and their increasing invasion
by non-native vegetation, it is critical
we understand the effects of rapidly
changing habitat on river otter use of the
Platte River.
This study will provide information on
the effects of common reed on river otter

Photo by Bob Grier

movements, den use, and habitat use for
the development of a management plan
for river otters in Nebraska and to inform
Platte River restoration efforts. The goal
of this study is to gather quantitative
data regarding river otter interactions
with their habitat. The study will provide
insight into the effects of common reed
on a state threatened species which will
expand our knowledge on the effects
common reed has on wildlife and wildlife
habitat in Nebraska.
While the information gained from
these two studies will be paramount in
developing a river otter management
plan, the absence of a population
estimate remains a problem. Due to the
elusive nature of river otters, traditional
population estimation methods such as
capture-mark-recapture are impractical.
Recent developments in wildlife genetics
have presented researchers with a
potential solution. Otter scat contains
DNA and analysis of this DNA allows
researchers to identify the individual
that deposited a specific sample. Thus,
by using DNA analysis from collected
scat samples we can utilize the same
methodology of capture-mark-recapture
with the individual identification of DNA
within scat samples. Currently a pilot
study is underway that will be analyzing
scat samples collected in the Big Bend
region of the Platte River to estimate
population size in that area. This small
scale study will allow us to determine
the appropriate techniques needed to
yield the highest quality of DNA, and
thus the highest quality results. This
knowledge can then be used to determine
the feasibility of a statewide population
Mom and kit bonding
estimate using scat.
The river otter is one of nature’s
most playful and charismatic species.
By keeping their populations healthy
in Nebraska through research and
management we will be able to ensure
that they remain a part of the great
outdoors here in Nebraska.
This project could not have been
carried out without your donations to
the Wildlife Conservation Fund and
the help and support from the Nebraska
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research
Unit, the Nature Conservancy, the Platte
River Whooping Crane Maintenance
Trust, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, and the
Nebraska Fur Harvesters.
Nongame and endangered species need your
help – donations accepted!
The Wildlife
Conservation Fund
By Gerry Steinauer, Botanist, NGPC
Scrounging is a way of life for
Nebraska Game and Park Commission
nongame biologists – an ornithologist,
two mammalogists, a plant ecologist and
a botanist (myself). We have learned to
look for a couple hundred dollars here
and a few thousand there until we find
enough piecemeal funds for a project.
Nongame species are native plants,
wildlife and other organisms that are not
hunted, trapped or fished. Although they
make up the vast majority of Nebraska’s
biodiversity, funding for their
conservation is seldom straightforward or
easy to come by. By law, the Commission
cannot use money from the sale of
hunting and fishing licenses on nongame
species – it can only be used to directly
help game species. Similarly, funds from
the sale of Habitat Stamps and Aquatic
Habitat Stamps, which are also required
to hunt and fish, are used to purchase and
manage habitat for game species,
although these habitats often benefit
native plants and nongame species as
well. Which brings us to the Wildlife
Conservation Fund, formerly known as
the Nongame and Endangered Species
Conservation Fund. The Wildlife
Conservation Fund is the Commission’s
most consistent funding source for
nongame projects, primarily research,
inventory and population monitoring.
The money also helps fund education
efforts such as the new Master Naturalist
Program, which is designed to train
volunteers to provide education, outreach
and service for biodiversity
conservation. While license and stamp
sales are the Commission’s primary
funding sources, bringing in several
million dollars each year, the
Conservation Fund, initiated in 1985, is
almost totally supported through
donations, primarily those made by
individuals through the nongame “check-
off” box located on state income tax
forms. Donations to the Conservation
Fund peaked in 1997 at nearly $120,000,
but have been
declining since.
Last year’s
donations were
$96,000. Other
funding sources for nongame species
conservation in the state include the
Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund
(NETF), which is supported through the
state lottery, and the federal State Wildlife
Grant (SWG) program. NETF funds are
competitive, meaning one must write a
grant and compete against others to get
funds for a particular project. The federal
government has awarded SWG funds the
last several years, but continued SWG
funding is not guaranteed – Congress
must appropriate these funds annually
and when budgets are tight, conservation
funding is often the first cut. Both NETF
and SWG grants require matching funds,
so Conservation Fund dollars are often
used as the match, allowing the
Commission to leverage several times
over any money that is donated to the
fund. Conservation Fund money is used
for those species at greatest risk of
disappearing from our state, threatened
and endangered species such as the river
otter, Topeka shiner and small white-
lady’s slipper orchid, but also on more
common species we are trying to keep
from becoming rarer. Examples of recent
projects completed with Conservation
Fund dollars include a rare plant survey
on the central Niobrara River, a study of
the recently discovered Platte River
caddisfly (see “Platte River Caddisfly”
August 2009 NEBRASKAland), and
support for the Lincoln Safari outdoor
education program. Another recent
effort supported by the Conservation
Fund is the Nebraska Long-billed Curlew
Satellite Tracking Project, which is trying
to identify the previously unknown
migration routes and wintering habitat of
curlews that breed in Nebraska. Two
adult female long-billed curlews, one
named Sandy and the other Bailey, were
PHOTO by Cory Gregory
outfitted with satellite transmitters in
Garden County in May 2009 and the
tracking is ongoing. Long-billed curlews
(Numenius americanus) are North
America’s largest shorebird, standing
nearly two feet tall. Named for their long,
decurved bill and “curluoo” call, long-
billed curlews have a buff-colored body,
tinged with pink or cinnamon, and long,
blue-gray legs. Unfortunately, like many
grassland bird species, curlew populations
are in trouble – in 2007, their rangewide
population was estimated at 123,500
individuals. Long-billed curlews nest in
the Great Plains and Intermountain West
and winter on the Gulf and Pacific coasts,
as well as interior sites in Mexico and
south Texas. “Breeding bird surveys
show curlews are a declining species with
a long-term downward trend,” said Joel
Jorgensen, nongame bird program
manager for the Commission. “Curlews
require relatively large unbroken native
grasslands for nesting and in Nebraska
they nest in the Sandhills and the
Panhandle, primarily north of the North
Platte River. As native prairie is converted
to cropland or developed, curlew habitat
is lost.” Breeding curlews arrive in
Nebraska from wintering sites by early
April and most are nesting by late-April.
Females generally lay four eggs in “nests”
– lined scrapes on the ground – and both
males and females incubate the eggs and
defend the nest. The eggs hatch
simultaneously and the young leave the
nest a few hours after hatching. The
chicks mature rapidly and are
independent of the adults in about eight
weeks. Both adults and young leave their
Nebraska breeding grounds on their fall
migration by late-August. Until the
tracking project began, the migration
route and wintering grounds of
Nebraska’s breeding curlews were
unknown to biologists. “We had one
recovery on the Texas coast from a bird
banded in Nebraska in 1933, but that’s it,”
said Jorgensen. “It was easy to speculate
that our birds headed to the Texas Gulf
Coast vicinity, but speculation is one
thing and solid data to back it up is
another. “Our curlews spend only a few
months on their breeding grounds and
the rest of the year they are somewhere
else. To develop effective conservation
strategies to preserve the birds here, we
needed to know where these highly
mobile birds were going the rest of the
year,” said Jorgensen. “We may be doing
everything right in Nebraska, the birds
may have adequate breeding habitat and
food sources, but if something is afoul
elsewhere in their range, our efforts may
be in vain. That’s the reason for the
study.” Cory Gregory, an Iowa State
University graduate student, captured
both Sandy and Bailey during their
nesting attempts and fitted them with
transmitters as part of his larger statewide
project to estimate breeding curlew
numbers, nest and chick survival, and
determine what kind of brood- rearing
habitat they require. Along with the
Commission, partners in the study
include Iowa State University, the
$140,000
140,000
120,000
120,000
100,000
100,000
80,000
80,000
60,000
60,000
40,000
40,000
20,000
20,000
00
1984
1984 1985 1986
1986 1987
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the generosity of the countless people in our state that donate all or a
portion of their state income tax return to help conserve Nebraska’s precious nongame wildlife. This, along with the generous direct
donations throughout the year, allows us to continue in our mission to conserve our state’s diverse wildlife for future generations.
University of Nebraska, the Sandhills
Taskforce and the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service. Satellite transmitters, a
relatively new technology, use a Global
Positioning System (GPS) to track
migratory birds. The light-weight, solar-
powered transmitters are attached to a
bird’s back with a Teflon harness and
cause little impediment to movement.
The transmitters attached to Sandy and
Bailey sent signals that were downloaded
daily by Gregory and Jorgensen and
indicated that the birds left Nebraska on
their fall migration in June after failed
nesting attempts and ended up on the
Texas-Mexico border several days later.
Both birds appeared to have settled on
inland wetlands or lagoons just a few
miles from the Gulf of Mexico, but how
long they will remain there is uncertain.
At the time of this writing, signals had
not been received from Bailey’s
transmitter for several weeks and
Jorgensen feared it may have fallen off or
become defective. The Sandhills
Taskforce and money from a State
Wildlife Grant paid for the transmitters,
but Wildlife Conservation Fund money
was used to cover the cost of the satellite
Donations to the Nebraska Nongame Tax
Check-off Program
1988
1988 1989 1990
1990 1991 1992
1992 1993 1994
1994 1995 1996
1996 1997
THANK YOU
service, which must be subscribed to on a
monthly basis and will likely run several
thousand dollars by project’s end.
Jorgensen said he was pleased with the
study’s results so far and happy that they
were able to determine where Nebraska
curlews are wintering, which ultimately
might help biologists protect the species
from further decline. He also said that
without the Conservation Fund, which
he’s tapped into for several projects over
the past couple of years, the curlew study
and others like it might never have
happened. “The Conservation Fund is the
only flexible money source I have access
to. I don’t have to write a grant to get it
and I can use it as match to get other
conservation dollars. I’m not sure what I
would do without it.” Donations to the
Wildlife Conservation Fund can be made
through a check written to the fund and
sent to the Commission at P.O. Box
30370, Lincoln, NE 68503-0370.
Contributions to the fund can also be
made by using the nongame check-off
box found on state income tax forms. All
contributions are tax deductible.
1998
1998 1999 2000
2000 2001 2002
2002 2003 2004
2004 2005 2006
2006 2007 2008
2008 2009
Nebraska’s Legacy of Biological Diversity
By Melissa Jo Santiago

designated 1 million dollars in 2008-

Natural Legacy 2009 to create and enhance habitat in
Focuses on efforts to aid individual Biologically Unique Landscapes.
species and larger ecological Conservation Implementation
communities and landscapes. Across Nebraska, Coordinating
Property owners have shown Wildlife Biologists are scrambling to
growing interest in ecosystem keep up with interest from landowners
rehabilitation plans. Prospects for and public managers, as the word
ecosystem restoration are increasing spreads about land management Nebraska. A Terra Torch was used to
with more landowners becoming practices that benefit both landowners ignite overgrown vegetation along the
involved in conservation projects. and wildlife. Habitat improvement North Platte River and the northwest side
The level of accomplishment projects include prescribed prairie fires, of Lake McConaughy. At the Bohemia
seen so far is largely because of invasive plant species removal, fencing Prairie State Wildlife Management Area
the collaboration of partners to establish grazing systems, wetland in Knox County, Nebraska, burning
and a network of biologists with enhancement, conservation easements, and grazing were incorporated into the
the opportunity, training, and wildlife surveys, and education activities management strategy, setting an example
experience to implement habitat such as landowner workshops and tours. for other land managers interested in
improvements. Working together, Grassland management has been maintaining grassland communities.
we can continue to conserve wildlife a key objective of the Natural Legacy Fire is very beneficial in maintaining
and their habitats. Project. It involves several components. healthy grasslands and is a natural
Prairie management actions can involve ecological process that historically
controlled burns, tree removal, and occurred more frequently. Fire
The appreciation and conservation of
sometimes implementing a prescribed suppression has altered the natural
wildlife and the great outdoors are values
grazing regime. In 2009, the Legacy community, eliminating habitat for most
that can be shared and passed on to
Project coordinated the burning of species. Prescribed burning is an effective
future generations. The state, along with
approximately 40,000 acres and cleared and safe way to decrease invasive plant
voluntary participants, has undertaken
trees from 8,000 acres of Nebraskan numbers and allow for the rejuvenation
the important task of ensuring continued
prairie. In early spring of 2009, land of native species. Local fire coalitions
biological diversity through a partnership
managers conducted a controlled burn of and experts work together to ensure
initiative known as the Nebraska Natural
1420 acres at Clear Creek State Wildlife prescribed burns are safe and do not
Legacy Project. Legacy Project’s main
Management Area in Keith County, infringe on adjacent property.
objective is to conserve proactively our
at-risk animal and plant species, by
focusing our efforts in biologically unique
landscapes (BULs) across the state. There
are 40 BULs that provide habitat to
more than 600 species that face potential
threats to their survival.
It is typically more cost-effective to
prevent species’ declines than to try
to bring threatened and endangered
species back from the brink of extinction.
Agencies, organizations and individuals
are collaborating statewide to achieve The
Legacy Project’s many goals, including
Photo by Rocky Hoffmann

habitat enhancement, monitoring of

species, and conservation education.
Funds from the Nebraska Environmental
Trust, State Wildlife Grants, US Fish
and Wildlife Service’s Landowner
Incentive Program, and other sources
have launched implementation of the
Legacy Project. For example, The Natural Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff works with non-profit Loess Canyon Rangeland Alliance (LCRA)
Resources Conservation Service’s personnel to control-burn invasive and overgrown vegetation on 1420 acres on the northwest side of Lake
Environmental Quality Incentives McConaughy and along the North Platte River at Clear Creek State Wildlife Management Area in Keith County,
Program (NRCS – EQIP) special initiative Nebraska.
 Biological Surveys  Research – Migration of native prairie remain. This currently
and Habitat Enhancements Long-billed Curlews are also a Tier includes the Nebraska Sandhills and
In order to ensure conservation I at-risk species in Nebraska. Curlews prairies in the panhandle.
actions are effective, biologists conduct require short-grass and mixed-grasslands Iowa State graduate student Cory
annual surveys for at-risk species. for breeding and use a variety of Gregory equipped 2 Long-billed Curlews
Recently, surveys were conducted on wetland and agricultural habitats during with satellite transmitters to obtain
both public and private lands for the migration and winter. In Nebraska, the a better understanding of the birds’
endangered American Burying Beetle in species is now limited to north-central habits and migration patterns. This
Verdigre-Bazile Watershed and the Loess and western Nebraska where large tracts collaborative research project is supported
Canyons Biologically Unique Landscapes.
American Burying Beetles have a shiny
black appearance and distinct orange
bands on each wing cover. They are the
largest burying carrion feeding insects in
North America, growing up to 1 ½ inches
long. The American Burying Beetle lives
in the north-central and southwest–
central portions of the state. The beetles
inhabit wet meadows in sandhills, open
woodlands, loess prairie, and Platte River
riparian woodlands. Biologists performed
surveys to document the presence and
monitor populations of this endangered
beetle. Finding locations where remnant
populations were present was necessary
to prioritize areas that needed protection.
Additionally, Red Cedar and other
invasive species in the Loess Canyons
Nebraska’s 40 Biologically Unique Landscapes are distributed across the state’s 4 primary ecoregions: 1.
were removed in an effort to benefit
Tallgrass Prairie, 2. Mixedgrass Prairie, 3. Shortgrass Prairie, and 4. Sandhills. These landscapes support diverse
the beetles. Red Cedars can dominate ecological communities.
an area, preventing the growth and
establishment of other species. In 2009,
landowners and contractors completed
600 acres of tree removal in the Loess Biologically Unique Landscapes in Nebraska
Canyons to create a more open landscape, ECOREGIONS
effectively improving habitat quality for
the American Burying Beetle, as well as TALLGRASS MIXEDGRASS SANDHILLS SHORTGRASS
other native wildlife. PRAIRIE PRAIRIE PRAIRIE
Elkhorn Central Loess Hills Cherry County Kimball Grasslands
Confluence Central Platte River Wetlands North Platte River
Indian Cave Bluffs Keya Paha Dismal River Wetlands
Lower Platte River Watershed Headwaters Oglala Grasslands
Missouri River Loess Canyons Elkhorn River Panhandle Prairies
Headwaters
Ponca Bluffs Lower Loup River Pine Ridge
Middle Niobrara
Rainwater Basin Lower Niobrara River Valley Platte Confluence
East River Sandsage
Platte Confluence
Rulo Bluffs Middle Niobrara (North and South)
River Valley Sandhills
Saline Wetlands Alkaline Lakes Upper
Sandstone Prairies Platte Confluence Niobrara River
Snake River
Southeast Prairies Rainwater Basin Wildcat Hills
West Upper Loup River
Thurston-Dakota and Tributaries
Bluffs Verdigre-Bazile
Watershed
The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project protects at-risk Verdigre-Bazile
or threatened and endangered species such as the Watershed
state and federally listed American Burying Beetle.
Willow Creek
Prairies
Photo by Cory Gregory

Wildlife Refuge in Garden County,

Nebraska on 19 May 2009 and began
flying south in June to their winter
destination of coastal lagoons along the
Gulf of Mexico. The information obtained
from this study could be important for
the long-term conservation of the species.
A Long-billed Curlew, one of Nebraska’s Tier I at-Risk species, is fitted with a lightweight satellite transmitter
The birds’ journeys can be followed at
that allows biologists to track habits and migration patterns in order to develop better conservation measures.
www.birdsnebraska.org.
If you would like more information
by the Nebraska State Wildlife Grant Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge. about the Natural Legacy Project and
Program, Iowa State University, Nebraska Transmitters allow researchers to its implementation, visit the Legacy
Game and Parks Commission Wildlife track daily movements and view the website at www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/
Conservation Fund, University of birds’ travels over thousands of miles programs/legacy or contact Kristal Stoner,
Nebraska-Lincoln, Sandhills Task Force, from a computer monitor using GPS Wildlife Diversity Program Manager, at
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service technology. The two Long-billed Curlews kristal.stoner@nebraska.gov or by phone
- Migratory Birds - Region 6, and were marked at Crescent Lake National at 402-471-5444.

Project BEAK: Bird Some interesting things to look for on this website
include watching a marsh build a nest while suspended
between wetland reeds. Also, did you know that the people
Education and Awareness of China (past and present) believe that the presence of a
magpie brings happiness, unlimited opportunities, and good

for Kids
Check it out at www.projectbeak.org
When a cartoon Rose-breasted Grosbeak sweetly sings
complete with a moving beak, you may believe that this
website is just for children, but this website is packed with
fun resources for adults, teachers and children. Project
BEAK is an interactive, web-based curriculum that contains
scientifically accurate information about bird conservation,
adaptations, Nebraska’s birds and those that are threatened
and endangered. It also has resources specifically for teacher
resources and tips for beginning birders.
The curriculum is divided into six different modules –
Birds and People, Adaptations, Nebraska Habitats, The Rare
Ones, Birding Basics and Teacher Resources. Each module has
information geared to students in grades 5th through 8th with
classroom lesson plans already prepared so teachers can easily
integrate this online curriculum with their existing plans.
The information comes alive through videos, photos, and
interactive diagrams and games making this website a fun and
exciting way to engage students and adults. Lindsay Rogers,
of the Lower Platte South NRD explains that “The website is
designed to be extremely interactive. With videos, fun quizzes,
and fantastic games, the Project BEAK website is a hit with
kids and adults. And, the best part is that the entire website
focuses on Nebraska’s birds and Nebraska’s ecosystems.”
luck? If you have ever wondered why some birds have very
long skinny beaks and while others are curved and thick,
check out the “Build a bird” game and see how well your
creation survives.
Project BEAK is a product of the Nebraska Bird
Partnership (NBP) which felt that the more students
understand and are connected to the places where they live,
the more they would care about what happens on the land.
Youth and adults need to understand that they can make a
difference for conservation. “Project BEAK is arguably one of
the best bird and environmental education websites available,
and what makes it even more unique is that it is entirely
focused on Nebraska birds, rather than birds that Nebraska
students may never see.” - Mike Carter, Playa Lakes Joint
Venture Coordinator
Project BEAK was made possible with cooperation from
the Nebraska Educational Television, with funding from
the Nebraska Environmental Trust, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), and the Nebraska Wildlife
Conservation Fund (Nongame Check-off). Individuals
that made Project BEAK happen include teachers, resource
professionals, ornithologists, and Educational Service Unit
(ESU) staff.
So find the singing Rose-breasted grosbeak at www.project-
beak.org and learn a little more about Nebraska’s birds!
The Bald Eagle’s Journey to Recovery
By Melissa Jo Santiago
Maybe you’ve noticed it too. Perhaps
if you enjoy paddling Nebraska Rivers,
fishing at a favorite reservoir, or going
wildlife watching, you may be seeing
more Bald Eagles these days. Bald Eagle
numbers have been rising and they
continue to find success in the skies over
Nebraska. Support for nongame wildlife
and species and habitat conservation
efforts have been helpful in the Bald
Eagle’s recovery.
The Bald Eagle is one of the country’s
largest native birds of prey. As impressive
and powerful as Bald Eagles are standing
almost 3 feet tall and with a wingspan
up to 8 feet, they have certainly been
vulnerable to environmental threats and
poor management policies of the past.
Unregulated hunting in the late 1800’s
and environmental contaminants led to
a decline in the eagle’s population. The
inadvertent ingestion of lead shot has
been, and even today, remains a source of
eagle poisoning. Additionally, insecticides
capable of bio-accumulating, such as
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane
(DDT), caused embryonic death or
eggshell thinning that prevented adult
Bald Eagles from being able to incubate
their eggs without crushing them. By the
mid 1960’s, 55-96% of Bald Eagle nests
were failing.

Photo by Eric Fowler

In 1972, the government banned the
further use of DDT in the United States.
But, it would take time and additional
efforts to save the Bald Eagle. On 14
February 1978, our national bird, the
Bald Eagle, was officially listed as an
endangered species. With these legal
protection measures in place, the Bald
Eagle population would gradually begin
to increase. In the state of Nebraska,
the Bald Eagle was upgraded from
endangered status to threatened status in
the year 2000. Continued improvements
would eventually lead to the bird’s
removal from the federal threatened and
endangered species list on 28 June 2007
and from the Nebraska threatened and
endangered species list in October 2008.
Presently, the Bald Eagle is still afforded
protection from the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act.
Historically in Nebraska, Bald Eagles
bred in the eastern portion of the state
along its major riparian corridors.
However by 1900, the bird was essentially
extirpated as a breeding species within
the state. In 1991, for the first time in over
100 years, a Bald Eagle pair successfully
nested near Valley, Nebraska in Douglas
County. The lone fledgling later died,
but this significant event marked the
beginning of a series of successful
modern-day nesting attempts in the state.
In 2007, a recent high number of 55 active
Bald Eagle nests were documented.
Each year, wildlife biologists and
volunteers locate and monitor eagle
nests across Nebraska. Because the birds
have only recently been de-listed, these
monitoring efforts are still important
A bald eagle tends its chicks, Pierce Co. Nebraska
in assessing population fluctuations
and understanding eagle distribution
within the state. Preliminary results
from the 2009 breeding season suggest
that approximately 82.4% of Bald
Eagle nests located were active. Of the
monitored nests, 78.6% were successful,
where nesting success is defined as one
or more eaglets fledging or leaving the
nest. The vast majority of nests fledged 2
young. Mature eagles typically produce
1-3 young per year, but not all of these
birds may fledge. Normally, 60-80% of
juveniles survive their first year, and a
wild Bald Eagle can live up to 28 years.
In Nebraska, the majority of nesting
has occurred in the northeastern and
 north-central regions of the state near
large bodies of water and major river
courses. Most Bald Eagles choose to nest
in forested areas near water. Large limbs
support their massive nests that enlarge
as the eagles continue to add nesting
material each breeding season. They may
even upkeep the nest in the fall before
migration. Nests are destroyed frequently
in stormy weather and high winds. If the
birds don’t rebuild a nest after loss, they
move on to a new location, sometimes
very close to their original nest site.
Bald Eagle numbers have increased
in Nebraska and the rest of the United
States. However, there are still threats to
Bald Eagles nest along Nebraska’s major rivers and lakes. Eagles choose a large tree near a body of water to
these grand birds such as the persistence
support their massive nest.
of lead shot in prey and the environment,
Bald Eagle Nests in Nebraska
power line injuries, habitat loss, and
lax guidelines regarding pesticide
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applications in other countries frequented
by birds on migration routes. These
Number of Active Nests

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factors may lead to future challenges
but for now, the Bald Eagle population 40
appears stable. Bald Eagle population
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and nest monitoring should continue
on a proactive premise to facilitate 20
the continued success of the species.
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Fortunately, the current path to recovery
has had few obstacles. 0
More information is available by
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contacting Joel Jorgensen, Nongame Bird
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Program Manager at joel.jorgensen@ Year
nebraska.gov or 402-471-5440.
Number of active Bald Eagle nests Number of active Bald Eagle nests in the state of Nebraska, (1987-2008). Nesting has far surpassed the initial
in the state of Nebraska, (1987-2008). recovery goal of 10 nesting pairs in the state and 1.0 fledgling per nest.

Nesting has far surpassed the initial

recovery goal of 10 nesting pairs in the
state and 1.0 fledgling per nest.
Causes of mortality of Bald Eagles collected in Nebraska, (1988-2005)*
Cause of Mortality Number Percent
Collision 10 6%
Electrocution 21 13%
Gunshot 10 6%
Lead poisoning 9 6%
Poisoning 8 5%
Trap 2 1%
Unknown 102 63%

*from Jorgensen, Joel. 2008. Recommendation to remove the Bald Eagle from the List of Threatened and
Photo by Eric Fowler

Endangered Species in Nebraska. May 2008. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lincoln, NE, USA.

Bald Eagle nest, Pierce Co. Nebraska

 2200 N. 33rd St./PO Box 30370
Lincoln NE 68503-0370

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