Ohioans have a big milestone to celebrate this week besides the Fourth of July.
Over 960 bald eagle nests have appeared across the state, with at least one in 87 of Ohio’s 88 counties, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
This is a 36% increase within the past five years, with 707 nests reported in 2020.
The agency says that more than 1,800 reports from citizen scientists statewide helped complete the 2025 bald eagle nest census. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources followed up and confirmed the existence of each nest.
Counties in northern Ohio that are closest to bodies of water have the most nests, due to the abundance of food available. Ottawa County tops the list at 112 bald eagle nests and Sandusky was second with 61, according to a map released by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
What was once an endangered species is thriving again in the Midwest with only four nesting pairs in Ohio in 1979.
The bald eagle was removed from the federal list of endangered species in 2007 and from Ohio’s list in 2012, according to a report from The Nature Conservancy.
This expanded growth is largely in part of conservation programs across the nation and in Ohio that focus on breeding and development.
What caused the bald eagle’s resurgence in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources credits the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ohio zoos, wildlife rehabilitation facilities, concerned landowners and conservationists for repopulating the species.
If you find a bald eagle’s nest, the Ohio Division of Wildlife urges citizens to report any nest sightings through an interactive tracking system on its website.
The agency says tracking allows biologists to further understand eagle population dynamics and monitor trends, ensuring this and other species continue to do well in the Buckeye State for generations to come.
Want to see eagles in Ohio?
For the best viewing areas, check out these places:
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The Buckeye State sees soaring numbers of bald eagle nests in new census
Reporting by Hailey Roden, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
