Bald Eagle Welfare: Lead Ammunition Poisoning Remains a Major Threat

Despite successful population recovery, bald eagles continue to suffer and die from lead poisoning through scavenging carcasses containing spent lead rifle ammunition.

Key Facts

Bald eagles recovered from fewer than 500 pairs in the lower 48 states to over 10,000 pairs by 2020
Lead poisoning from ingesting gut piles and carcasses containing rifle ammunition fragments remains a leading mortality cause
Clinical lead poisoning causes neurological signs, inability to fly, starvation, and death
Non-lead rifle ammunition performs comparably to lead for hunting purposes
California banned lead ammunition for hunting statewide in 2019 dramatically reducing condor and eagle lead exposure

Welfare Considerations

Bald eagles poisoned by lead suffer progressive neurological deterioration over days to weeks. Initial signs include loss of coordination and inability to fly. As poisoning advances, eagles become unable to hunt, leading to starvation combined with neurological damage. Seizures occur in severe cases. Wildlife rehabilitation centres treat hundreds of lead-poisoned eagles annually. The voluntary and mandatory transition to non-lead ammunition in areas where eagles scavenge carcasses is the most direct welfare intervention available.

What You Can Do

Use non-lead rifle ammunition for deer and game hunting wherever bald eagles and other raptors occur
Advocate for mandatory non-lead ammunition laws in states lacking them
Support wildlife rehabilitation centres treating lead-poisoned eagles
Donate to the Peregrine Fund and similar organisations testing and advocating for non-lead ammunition
Report injured or grounded eagles to wildlife authorities and rehabilitation centres