Federal wildlife officials review the removal of a bald eagle nest in Alabama

AUBURN, Ala. — (AP) — Federal wildlife officials are reviewing the removal of a bald eagle nest at the site of a planned subdivision in the east Alabama city of Auburn following an outcry by some local residents, the agency announced Tuesday.

Agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which issued a permit to the subdivision developer to remove the nest, are reviewing the removal at the request of city officials to make sure the developer followed the terms and conditions of the permit, the agency said.

The tree containing the nest was chopped down over the weekend, upsetting nearby residents who had hoped to stop the nest’s removal.

“We understand the deep emotional bond many residents have with these birds and aim to clarify the situation,” Rafael Gonzales, the Southeast Region’s Acting Assistant Regional Director of Migratory Birds and Science Applications, said in a statement.

The federal agency has said bald eagles, the national symbol that once teetered on the brink of extinction, have rebounded in recent years after decades of habitat destruction, illegal shooting and the impact of the since-banned insecticide DDT, growing to more than 71,400 nesting pairs and an estimated 316,700 individual birds by 2021.

Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in August 2007 because their populations recovered sufficiently, and their population has continued to grow in the years since, it says.

Nonetheless, bald eagle nests cannot be disturbed without a federal permit.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said it issued the permit after it was determined that the removal of the nest would not negatively impact the overall eagle population. The permit holder was responsible for confirming the nest was empty of eggs or young before taking it down, the agency said.

The nest was removed Friday, the agency said. The move upset nearby residents who had hoped to stop the removal of the nest where they said a bonded pair of bald eagles had resided for several years.

"They're smart and beautiful. They deserve to be protected," neighbor Jason Haynie told WRBL. The station published photos of the eagles circling above the area where their nest used to stand.

Developer Hughston Homes, the business granted the federal permit to remove the nest, said in a statement to WSFA that it had followed guidance from the Fish and Wildlife Service in the removal. The developer said it believed the "nest in question is likely an alternate nest" for the eagles.

“Please know that this decision was made with respect for the environment and the welfare of these magnificent birds,” the developer added.

The city of Auburn issued a statement over the weekend saying City Council members were disappointed by the removal. City officials had hoped to meet with the developer this week to discuss options for preserving the nest, according to its statement.

Bald eagle nests can typically reach around five feet (1.5 meters) in diameter and sometimes larger, weighing up to two tons, and mating pairs can use the same nest year after year, birding experts say.

Auburn is the home of Auburn University. The tiger is the school’s mascot though the university’s battle cry is “War Eagle.”

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