Update March 10 from the Maryland Natural Resources Police: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released the following statement on the death of the 13 bald eagles on the Eastern Shore: "We've received necropsy results of the 13 bald eagles found dead in Federalsburg, Maryland, on Feb. 20, from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory. The results show that these eagles did not die of natural causes, including disease. Ruling out diseases such as avian influenza is important on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, which has many poultry farms and an abundance of migratory birds. Our investigation is now focused on human causes and bringing to justice the person(s) responsible for the death of these eagles. We cannot release further details about the cause of death as such information may compromise the ongoing investigation. We continue to work with the Maryland Natural Resources Police to solve this case. A $25,000 reward is available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspected wildlife offenders. Anyone with information should call Special Agent John LaCorte with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement in Cambridge, Maryland, at 410-228-2476, or the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline at 800-628-9944."
Photo courtesy of the Maryland Natural Resources Police
On February 20, 13 bald eagles were found dead on a farm in Federalsburg, MD. According to the Maryland Natural Resources Police, "it is the largest concentration of dead bald eagles in Maryland in three decades." The NRP investigation is a joint effort with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now, MD NRP spokeswoman Candy Thomson says "it’s unlikely the birds, discovered Saturday, were intentionally shot." Thomson says that it's possible the birds may have eaten poisoned rodents or could have been killed by a chemical someone sprayed on a field. According to reports, the bird's showed no physical signs of trauma. Bald Eagles are no longer endangered but they are still protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. It remains illegal to kill these birds or to sell their nests and eggs. The remains of the eagles are currently at a laboratory in Oregon, and it will not be known if poison was the culprit until necropsies have been performed and X-Rays have been taken. There is a $25,000 reward being offered for information leading to the resolution of this incident. The NRP asks that people call (410) 260-8888 or (800) 635-6124 if they have any knowledge of this incident.