The Connecticut Audubon Society has released their annual State of the Birds report. It finds some species have made significant comebacks in the state, while others could use some help.
The bald eagle has made one of the strongest comebacks, with nests being found in 67 Connecticut towns. Once practically non-existent in the state, their numbers have been increasing over the last 30 years, largely due to a ban on the agricultural use of the pesticide DDT.
Brian Hess, one of the authors of the report, said the return of raptors like eagles, as well as osprey and falcons, has been a multi-generational effort.
“These efforts had begun decades ago,” Hess said. “They’ve been handed off to several generations of folks working on the issue. So, these are ongoing problems with ongoing solutions, but progress is possible.”
Wading birds like egrets and herons have also shown an increase in numbers. However, their nesting areas have been reduced to only five islands in the Long Island Sound.
Shorebirds like the piping plover and roseate tern also continue to face habitat destruction due to shoreline development and an eroding coastline.
