BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Bald Eagle

AccipitridaeBirds of preyHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle has surged: up 124× on the route-weighted index since 1968.

124×Since 1968TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
1,388RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
58Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.

Size
17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
Habitat
Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
Diet
Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
Range
Recorded on 1,388 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 48 states, most concentrated in the Eastern Tallgrass Prairie.
Family
Accipitridae · Birds of prey

Notable Bald Eagle TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for Bald Eagle. See the full index history below.

Bald Eagle Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Bald Eagle is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.29 (95% range 0.24–0.35). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±14.7%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-7%Change by 2029TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
0.29Projected 2029 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
0.24–0.3595% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±14.7%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Bald Eagle is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.29 (95% range 0.24–0.35). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±14.7%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19662029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20250.270.220.33
20260.280.220.33
20270.280.230.34
20280.290.230.34
20290.290.240.35

Where the Bald Eagle Is Detected

BBS routes recording Bald Eagle, sized by most recent count.

Bald Eagle Population Trend by State

Bald Eagle population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Alabama+150%199923
Alaska-76%197392
Arizonainsufficient datan/a4
Arkansas+137%200914
California+895%197558
Colorado+40%198436
Connecticutinsufficient datan/a3
Delaware34×199712
Florida+506%197074
Georgia+7%199717
Idaho+8%198426
Illinois18×200249
Indiana+247%201329
Iowa+306%200217
Kansas+133%200213
Kentucky+133%200811
Louisiana-10%20068
Maine+575%199723
Maryland60×196849
Massachusettsinsufficient datan/a3
Michigan+406%198446
Minnesota16×198270
Mississippiinsufficient datan/a11
Missouri+528%200843
Montana+752%198459
Nebraska+394%200119
Nevadainsufficient datan/a2
New Hampshire+66%19985
New Jersey+167%200513
New Mexicoinsufficient datan/a3
New York+712%200139
North Carolina+730%200032
North Dakota+402%200623
Ohio+734%199629
Oklahomainsufficient datan/a7
Oregon+836%197561
Pennsylvania+618%198361
South Carolinainsufficient datan/a2
South Dakota+664%200918
Tennessee+470%200010
Texas-9%200814
Utahinsufficient datan/a9
Vermontinsufficient datan/a3
Virginia+516%198832
Washington+747%197664
West Virginia-17%201015
Wisconsin17×197987
Wyoming+711%198750

Bald Eagle Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Bald Eagle population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
BCR 2+62%198513
BCR 4+31%198346
Northern Pacific Rainforest+410%197397
Great Basin+458%197582
Northern Rockies+853%1983107
Prairie Potholes+974%199660
Boreal Hardwood Transition+765%197788
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain+556%200031
Atlantic Northern Forest+469%199637
Sierra Nevada+126%20039
Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau+75%199136
Badlands and Prairies+366%198441
Shortgrass Prairie-27%200214
Central Mixed Grass Prairie+384%200418
Eastern Tallgrass Prairie28×1999112
Prairie Hardwood Transition44×198399
Central Hardwoods+966%200061
West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas+122%200713
Mississippi Alluvial Valley+526%200027
Southeastern Coastal Plain+611%198782
Appalachian Mountains12×1982109
Piedmont+270%199043
New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast68×196868
Peninsular Florida+286%197056
Coastal California+567%200623

Bald Eagle Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it up about 12281% since 1968.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.