DNR report says bald eagles are thriving in Iowa

Lunchtime for the Decorah Hatchery bald eaglets

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued its second annual State of the Environment report--and it brings good news for bald eagle lovers.

The report says bald eagles are now nesting in 85 out of Iowa's 99 counties.  That's quite a change from 50 years ago, when there was not a single bald eagle nest in the state.

In 1973 the federal government banned the use of the pesticide DDT, which had thinned eagle eggs.  That helped the bald eagle population rebound.  Now the Iowa DNR predicts there are 300 bald eagle nests in Iowa this year.