Record-breaking Number of Bald Eagles on Water Supply Lands

New York City’s reservoir system is home to some of the largest bald eagle populations anywhere in the state. DEP biologists performing the annual mid-winter survey discovered a record-breaking 116 bald eagles on water supply lands — the most of any year since the surveys began in 2011. The higher numbers may be another signal of the growing bald eagle population throughout the State of New York, but other factors also play a role in the year-by-year results, including winter conditions such as ice cover and available open water resources, and the weather on survey days. DEP actively works to protect bald eagle nesting territories through project planning, buffer zones, and by restricting certain activities during the nesting season. We currently monitor 22 active nesting territories on nine reservoirs, but bald eagles can be seen on all 19 reservoirs that comprise the water supply system.