BALD EAGLE
Historically, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was found in all 50 states except Hawaii and nested in 45 of the 48 contiguous states. In the late 1800s, the bald eagle was a common breeding bird along the Missouri River Valley in Nebraska. Migrant and wintering bald eagles were uncommon throughout the state, but wintering populations varied, as they do today, depending on the severity of the winter and availability of food.
In the late 19th century, it gradually became obvious that nesting populations were being seriously reduced across the country. Land development destroyed habitat as settlers moved into the wild, remote realm of the bald eagle, and the suitability of both breeding and wintering areas was seriously degraded. Mortality from trapping and shooting, especially as firearms became more numerous and efficient, accelerated the precipitous decline.
