PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 3, 2025
In the late 1960s, Maine was home to a few pairs of golden eagles, though their numbers had steadily declined since the 1950s due to the widespread use of pesticides like DDT. According to the late Peter Vickery, author of Birds of Maine, 10 to 12 pairs of golden eagles historically nested in Maine, mostly in the state’s western mountains. It would be a significant milestone for biologists to document the first nesting golden eagles in Maine in more than four decades. As a lifelong golden eagle enthusiast, I’m hopeful that the species will once again raise youngsters in our state. ~ Ron Joseph