First-ever bald eagle nest discovered in Toronto, conservation authority confirms
For the first time ever, a bald eagle’s nest has been discovered in Toronto, the city’s conservation authority confirmed Thursday.
The news comes less than one year after Ontario removed the regal bird from its “at-risk” species list.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) can confirm this is the first documented Bald Eagle nest in Toronto,” Afiya Jilani, spokesperson for the TRCA, said in an email to CTV News Toronto.
However, bird lovers are being asked not to go searching for the rare sight and its location is not being disclosed “in any way,” says the TRCA.
“Bald eagles are sensitive creatures, particularly during their nesting period. It would be a disservice to draw public attention to them at this time,” Jilani said. “It's crucial to maintain their habitat as it is during a sensitive time and to prioritize their welfare, especially in the early stages of the nesting process.”
The secrecy surrounding the location of the nest may come as a surprise to some, but is easily explained by the fact bald eagles were almost wiped out of existence in Ontario half a century ago due to the use of pesticides.
The insecticide DDT was especially harmful to eagle’s nests and eggs and has since been banned in Canada and the U.S.
Bald eagles were placed on the province’s “at-risk” species list for about 50 years as its population in the province dwindled. The bird was classified as one of “special concern” under the Endangered Species Act.
Since then, the bird was taken off the list and Ontario’s environment ministry said the bald eagle has thrived to about 2,600 nests as of May 2023.
Then Environment Minister David Piccini called the eagle’s reclassification as a “not at-risk” species in the province “a big win for Ontario.”
“I mean, talk to anyone now they are starting to see them again,” he said in an interview with CTV News Toronto at the time.
Bald eagles typically nest in large trees near a major lake or river, where they do most of their hunting, and are widely distributed throughout North America, according to the Ontario environment ministry. They’re known to feed on fish, but can easily catch ducks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
'Do not consume': Gift Chocolate recalled due to undeclared milk, soy
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Ontario to ban use of cellphones in school classrooms starting in September
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
BREAKING Quebec to invest $603 million to protect the French language
Quebec will invest $603 million over five years to counter the decline of French in the province, French Language Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced Sunday.
Key mediator Qatar urges Israel and Hamas to do more to reach a cease-fire deal
A senior Qatari official has urged Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and more seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a ceasefire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Campus anti-war protesters dig in across U.S. as schools, police take action
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war woke up in tents at college campuses across the United States Sunday morning planning more protests demanding that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies accused of enabling the conflict.