At Carburn Park in southeast Calgary, local naturalist Brian Keating quickly identified two bald eagles near the river.

“They've been nesting in this section of Calgary for numerous years,” Keating remarked about this particular duo. “And it’s nearly certain that you'll spot an eagle when you visit this park.”

Keating isn't surprised by the sight of bald eagles in Calgary, noting that the Bow River provides an excellent environment for them to reside within the city throughout the year.

The presence of these emblematic birds of prey, characterized by their distinctive feathers, is increasingly common across the province as eagles widen their range and populations thrive due to conservation measures.

From the banks of the Bow River to the vast grasslands, bald eagles can be observed almost anywhere in Alberta.

At the Alberta Birds of Prey Foundation’s wildlife rehabilitation facility in Coaldale, managing director Colin Weir directly engages with bald eagles and other raptors that have arrived from various regions of the province.

“When I first came here in the '80s, the only location where you could truly see bald eagles in Alberta was closer to the mountain rivers and lakes,” he explained.

“However, in the past decade, we’ve certainly noticed a significant increase in them spreading out mainly along the Prairie rivers.”

Weir mentioned that Alberta’s bald eagle population comprises both year-round inhabitants, like the eagles located in Calgary during winter, and migratory birds that build nests in areas such as Banff but spend the winter in warmer regions of the continent.

“The rivers in southern Alberta provide remarkable habitats for these birds to breed,” Weir stated. “There’s ample food available, including fish and migratory ducks, for instance.”

They can also be spotted in surprising locations, such as fields far from significant water sources.

“They primarily reside around certain agricultural regions,” Weir indicated, highlighting the likelihood of finding deceased livestock on farms and feedlots. “Occasionally, bald eagles, as scavengers, will feed on those remains.”

Regarding bald eagles in the Calgary area, Keating referenced the findings of the latest local Christmas Bird Count, a citizen science effort where participants tally the number of birds observed in a specific region for conservation and population tracking. The total count exceeded 400.

“That’s unprecedented a few decades back,” remarked Keating.

NatureCounts, a platform that aggregates data on wildlife sightings and population dynamics through community science, indicates that bald eagle populations have been growing throughout North America.

This revival largely followed the designation of bald eagles as an endangered species by the U.S. government in the 1970s.

Although it has been the national bird of the United States since 1782, the bald eagle was historically viewed as a nuisance and killed in vast numbers.

“They were hunted and shot due to the misconception that they preyed on animals like lambs,” Keating noted. “While that can occur, it is exceedingly uncommon.”

In Alaska, a bounty on bald eagles existed from 1917 to 1952, resulting in over 120,000 of the birds being killed. The bounty was lifted shortly before Alaska gained statehood.

This long-term persecution also adversely affected Canada’s bald eagle populations, as many of these birds migrate between both nations.

Due to conservation initiatives—including Canadian bald eagles being sent to the U.S. for breeding, the prohibition of the highly harmful pesticide DDT in both countries, and Congress outlawing the killing of bald eagles in the United States in 1940—the species has seen a notable recovery across North America.

By 2022, it is estimated that the population has grown by over 600 percent continent-wide since 1970. Bald eagles have now been removed from the endangered species list.

According to Birds Canada, the nation hosts around 110,000 bald eagles.

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Keating has witnessed this resurgence firsthand throughout the years, stating that “50 or 60 years ago, it was nearly impossible to spot one. Therefore, we must remember that success stories can emerge.”

Despite their population recovery and continuous conservation efforts, Canada’s bald eagles still encounter various threats.

Alberta's Wildlife Act forbids the hunting and harassment of bald eagles and other raptors in the province, although this has not prevented them from being victimized by poachers.

In addition to poaching, Keating points out that habitat destruction and environmental pollution pose significant threats to birds such as bald eagles.

“The issue we face now is lead,” he mentioned, labeling it a "highly toxic" substance for bald eagles.

This results from bald eagle prey being exposed to lead through hunters using lead ammunition, which contaminates carcasses and poses a risk of death to eagles that consume those remains, alongside lead fishing lures affecting fish.