Federal and state authorities in Texas are still hoping to bring to justice the person responsible for destroying an active bald eagle nest last year north of Dallas.
On Thursday, the Center for Biological Diversity announced that it has increased the reward for information leading to a conviction in the case from $1,500 to $15,000.
“I’m outraged by the destruction of this eagle nest, and the perpetrator needs to be brought to justice for harming America’s national bird,” Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center, stated in a news release. “Whoever committed this cowardly act should be held accountable.”
The nest was first detected by a “concerned citizen” in February 2023 on private property being developed as a subdivision. A Texas game warden noted at the time that two adult eagles were using the nest.
Days later, special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that the nest had been destroyed. It was not clear if the eagles were raising chicks at the time.
Bald eagles, which mate for life, use the same nests year after year and build on them over time.
Bald eagles and their nests are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Destroying an active nest could carry significant criminal penalties, including prison time.
Anyone with potentially helpful information is asked to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Texas at 817-334-5202, or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at 800-792-4263.
–Generic bald eagle images courtesy of ©Pete Thomas