Wild Bald Eagle Lead Poisoning Prevention and Treatment

Lead poisoning from ingested ammunition fragments is a leading cause of bald eagle mortality, and switching to non-lead ammunition is the most effective prevention.

Key Facts

Lead poisoning kills hundreds of bald eagles annually and is a major threat to population health
Eagles ingest lead when scavenging carcasses or gut piles from hunters who used lead ammunition
A single bullet can fragment into hundreds of particles spread throughout a carcass
Blood lead levels in eagles frequently spike during hunting season, then decrease in summer
Clinical signs of lead poisoning include lethargy, inability to fly, drooping wings, and seizures
Chelation therapy with CaEDTA or DMSA can treat affected eagles if caught before severe neurological damage
Non-lead (copper) ammunition is equally effective for hunting and eliminates the primary source of eagle lead exposure

Welfare Considerations

Lead poisoning causes a prolonged, agonizing decline in affected eagles - neurological damage progresses over days, causing tremors, weakness, and loss of coordination before death or irreversible disability. These deaths are entirely preventable. Transitioning to non-lead ammunition costs hunters little and eliminates the primary cause of this welfare tragedy.

What You Can Do

If you hunt, switch to non-lead (copper or bismuth) ammunition for all hunting
Advocate for non-lead ammunition requirements in eagle habitat areas
Support raptor rehabilitation centers that treat lead-poisoned eagles
Donate to The Peregrine Fund and similar organizations monitoring raptor lead exposure
Share information about lead ammunition impacts with hunting communities