Iowa bald eagles got through 2014 without a lead poisoning incident

A researcher examines 58 bald eagles killed by lead exposure (Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Over 130 different species of wildlife are known to ingest lead ammunition or lead fishing tackle and die from it.  

Bald eagles, being scavengers, are susceptible to lead poisoning.  They can can ingest lead when eating a fish or an animal carcass or a gut pile.  The Iowa DNR says bald eagles which become sick from lead in their blood may exhibit loss of balance, tremors, gasping and impaired ability to fly.  Death can occur within two to three weeks.

But Raptor Resource Director Bob Anderson from Decorah says efforts to get hunters to switch to using non-toxic ammunition might be paying off.  "Since I moved to Iowa 18 years ago this is the very first deer hunting season that I have NOT been called upon to pick up a lead poisoned eagle," says Anderson.

The lack of bald eagle lead poisoning cases comes at a time when Iowa's bald eagle population is still growing significantly, with 210 eagle pairs now nesting in Iowa.  Iowa DNR officials continue to urge hunters to switch to non-toxic shot for deer hunting and for all small game shotgun hunting (lead shot is already prohibted for waterfowl hunting).

Says Anderson, "I think the word is getting out and more and more people are using non-lead slugs.  What a relief to go through an entire deer gun hunting season without having the telephone calls leading me to a sick eagle."