A Silent Threat: Protecting Bald Eagles from Lead in Our Community

Written by Katie Pnewski- Raptor Specialist III at the Auburn University Raptor Center

At the Auburn University Raptor Center, we’re fortunate to spend every day working with some of the most iconic birds in North America both on our rehabilitation side and also with our Education Ambassadors. Bald eagles are one of America’s greatest conservation comeback stories, but their recovery still faces a quiet, serious threat: lead. At the Auburn University Raptor Center, we see how small choices in the field can have big impacts on raptors’ health. This article explains what lead poisoning is, how eagles are exposed, what it does to their bodies, and how simple changes, especially by hunters and anglers, can make a lasting difference.

Eagles are back thanks to decades of protection, conservation projects, and community support. Even so, they still face modern stressors, and lead is one of the most preventable. Because bald eagles are opportunistic scavengers, they’re at risk when they feed on carcasses or gut piles that contain tiny fragments of lead ammunition, or when prey items carry lead sinkers or jigs.
Bald eagle soaring over stadium
So how does lead get inside of an eagle? Lead‑core bullets often fragment on impact into hundreds of microscopic shards that can spread far beyond the initial wound. When eagles scavenge unrecovered game or gut piles, those fragments can be eaten without anyone realizing it. Angling adds another route: lost or ingested lead tackle can move up the food chain to top predators. A sliver of lead, smaller than a grain of rice, can be lethal to an adult eagle. Raptors digest bone, fur, fish scales, and muscle with ease. That same digestive efficiency means that even microscopic lead flakes are quickly broken down and absorbed. Because a lead fragment does not need to be large to dissolve, the amount required to cause organ damage is incredibly small. Lead is a neurotoxin. In eagles, it can cause weakness, lack of coordination, seizures, and impaired vision, along with damage to the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system. Sometimes symptoms are subtle.

Long‑running monitoring projects have repeatedly documented lead entering eagle territories. Researchers have recovered lead sinkers, shot, and weights in or beneath active nest which shows direct evidence of how fishing and hunting materials end up in the food web. Sampling of nestling blood and feathers across multiple years provides a consistent picture. lead shows up often enough in these samples to warrant continued attention and prevention.

Wildlife hospitals regularly admit bald eagles with measurable lead levels, with cases often clustering around and after hunting seasons when scavenging increases. Care can involve chelation therapy, fluids, nutrition support, and time in large flight enclosures so birds can rebuild stamina and coordination before a release is considered. Despite best efforts, some eagles suffer permanent neurological effects that prevent release.

How Can You Help Bald Eagles?

Protecting bald eagles from lead exposure isn’t complicated and it doesn’t require major lifestyle changes. In fact, some of the most meaningful improvements come from small choices made by hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts every day. By adjusting the tools we use and the way we leave the landscape behind us, we can dramatically reduce the risk of lead entering the food chain. Here’s how you can make a real difference:

  • Choose non‑lead alternatives. Copper bullets and non‑lead fishing tackle perform exceptionally well and completely remove the risk of lead poisoning for wildlife and for people who consume harvested game.
  • Mind the remains. Recover your harvest and remove or bury gut piles so scavengers don’t ingest hidden lead fragments.
  • Pack it out. Replace lead sinkers and jigs with non‑lead options and bring home damaged or lost tackle for safe disposal.

When communities make these small changes together, the benefits ripple outward to eagles, vultures, and the ecosystems we all share.

For more than half a century, the Auburn University Raptor Center has combined rehabilitation, education, and conservation to protect Alabama’s birds of prey. The bald eagle’s story proves that sustained effort pays off, and that smart, practical prevention is our best next step. Thank you for helping us keep eagles in flight over Alabama.

Resources

Here are a few easy places to learn more about lead poisoning in bald eagles and how to help: