Bald eagles fly Fort Belvoir

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One of our greatest national treasures is surely our native wildlife. Few animals evoke thoughts of freedom and beauty like our national symbol, the bald eagle. This once-endangered species is now a common sight in and around Fort Belvoir.

Bald eagles are easily identifiable large birds. They have 6- to 8-foot wingspans and can weigh up to 15 pounds. Mature bald eagles have a dark brown body, white head and tail, and sharply curved yellow beak. Immature bald eagles are adult-sized, but are mostly brown, with white speckling. It takes at least four years for eagles to reach adulthood and exhibit the distinctive white head and tail.

The bald eagle population once numbered several hundred thousand, but, by the mid 20th century, this species was on the brink of disappearing entirely from the lower 48 states. Here in the Chesapeake Bay region, the bald eagle population fell from 600 to 800 breeding pairs in the 1930s to 80 to 90 breeding pairs in 1970. In 1965, the bald eagle was officially listed as an "endangered species."

Fortunately, due to extensive conservation and management efforts, the bald eagle population has rebounded, and, in 2007, it was removed from the endangered species list. This achievement can be credited to the hard work of many men and women throughout the country.

One such man was the Army's own Lt. Col. Jackson Miles Abbott, whose efforts to preserve wildlife in Northern Virginia, and specifically on Belvoir, have closely linked his history with that of the installation. His 30-year study of bald eagle populations throughout the Chesapeake Bay region and his dedication to stopping the use of DDT played a significant role in this majestic bird's recovery.

Today, we have at least three active bald eagle nests on post, and many other eagles visit the installation's shorelines to feed and roost. Winter brings the greatest numbers, as eagles congregate here during migration.

The bald eagle spends most of its time in shoreline areas. If you visit the shoreline, you can regularly see anywhere from a few eagles at a time to 20 or more. The most bald eagles recorded at one time on Belvoir was 81.

The best bald eagle-viewing opportunities on post are at Gunston Cove in the Tompkins Basin area. Scan the trees for the telltale white heads of perched eagles. Look out into the marsh for eagles walking the mud flats at low tide. Look up into the sky for the wide wings of soaring eagles. In the summer, listen for the commotion as eagles pursue ospreys to rob them of their fish.
Watching bald eagles along Fort Belvoir's shoreline areas reminds us of the importance of habitat protection. As development pressure throughout the Chesapeake Bay region reduces bald eagle natural habitat, undeveloped areas such as Fort Belvoir's shorelines and Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge take on increased importance to this species' survival.

More information on bald eagles or the bald eagle management program at Fort Belvoir is available from wildlife biologist John Pilcicki, 703-805-3968.

Belvoir Eagle photographer Marny Malin contributed to this story.