Rarest of gifts will aid in conservation education

I’m going to go out on a limb and claim I may very well be the only man in America who received a gift like the one my son-in-law came up with for me this past Christmas. That limb better be a sturdy one, too, because when I reveal just exactly what it is, the first inclination of folks in the law-enforcement business might be to knock me clean off my branch and put me in handcuffs.

I am now the proud owner of the skull of Haliaeetus leucocephalus, which translates from Latin as “white-headed sea eagle.” Around these parts, we call it the bald eagle.

Now before you call out the cavalry, please note the “skull” is actually just an incredibly lifelike full-scale replica. This I know for certain because my son-in-law printed it in his basement using a 3D printer. Andrew knows well my love of dragging around a trunk full of skins and skulls as part of my wildlife education and conservation mission. So he decided to come up with something I’d never be able to acquire for myself. In the process he discovered there are programs out there using data collected with CT, MRI and photogrammetric 3D scans of actual specimens that enable "everyday people" to print museum-quality models of nearly any creature you can think of.

The availability of such models is crucial to students and educators because when it comes to eagles, access to the real thing is strictly prohibited for all but scientific and religious (Native American) purposes. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which dates back to 1940 — over three decades before the Endangered Species Act of 1973 — places clear and sweeping restrictions on not only possessing any part of an eagle but approaching or working near a nest as well.

The bald eagle has had a knock-out run over the past several decades after plummeting during the 1940s through the 1960s. A slow turnaround began with the banning of the insecticide DDT in 1972 after it was determined the chemical compound weakened the structure of eggshells to the point of collapse.

The bald eagle has rebounded in a rocket-like trajectory during the past several years, with nesting numbers in Ohio shooting up 36% in the past five years alone. Now in the mid-900s, the number of eagle nests in our state will almost certainly eclipse 1,000 in 2026. The regal bird was removed from the endangered species list in 2007.

January through early April may be the best time of year for eagle spotting in Ohio. Pair bonding began in November and December, and throughout January, we will continue to see lots of activity in and around the nest as the pair prepares for eggs that will come in February or March. A lack of leaves on the trees makes for easy viewing. By the time the young hatch in April, your clear view may be gone. You’d better get out there now.

If you have comments on this column or questions about the natural world, write The Rail Trail Naturalist, P.O. Box 170, Fredericksburg, OH 44627, or email jlorson@alonovus.com. You also can follow along on Instagram @railtrailnaturalist.