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How Long Are Eagle Management Plans Good For?

Each year bald eagles return to the same area, known as a breeding territory. In many cases, there are several nests per territory, only one of which will be occupied at a given time. Territories are generally occupied year after year, although it is not unusual for a territory to be unoccupied for one or several years at a time. In some cases, nests that have not been used for many years become reoccupied, often by a new pair of eagles that takes over part of another pair’s territory. The most extreme example known from Washington was a nest that was unoccupied for 12 years before a new pair moved in to take over the north part of the resident pair’s territory. Examples such as these demonstrate why it is important to maintain large trees capable of supporting nests, in order to provide for the recovery of the species. A nest may blow or fall out of a tree, or even be dismantled by energetic chicks, but as long as the tree is capable of supporting a new nest (e.g., contains canopy and/or supporting limbs that can hold a nest), the tree is protected as a nest site. Individual nest sites within a territory are removed from the list of protected sites only if the tree falls naturally or limbs break in such a way as to prevent new nest construction.
A Bald Eagle Management Plan constitutes an agreement by the landowner to protect the eagle habitat on their property. The plan remains in effect indefinitely. However, a change of ownership or a request for a new activity may lead to a new bald eagle plan. If a landowner believes that the site is no longer capable of supporting bald eagles, the landowner can also request a review by WDFW to determine if the bald eagle plan is no longer needed. This is determined by reviewing the history of the site, as well as the physical state of the habitat. In general, WDFW uses a guideline of 5 consecutive years of absence throughout the whole territory (not just at a single nest site) to determine whether a site is truly “not active”.

As of 1998, WDFW no longer conducts annual nest surveys. The last complete statewide survey was conducted in 2005. Statewide surveys and regional surveys will continue as survey priorities are set and funding is available, but consecutive surveys are no longer conducted. Therefore, documenting absence for a period of 5 years will become the responsibility of the landowner making the request.