MANSFIELD — Ohio’s bald eagle population continues to grow, including in Richland County, according to the Ohio Division of Natural Resources.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife reported Thursday that the state’s population of the iconic raptors’ nests increased 964, an uptick of 36% compared to 2020 estimates.
“The bald eagle is one of Ohio’s great conservation success stories,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “The eagle’s remarkable comeback over the last few decades, both in Ohio and nationwide, proves how much we can accomplish when we conserve and protect habitat.”
The bald eagle was once an endangered species. There were only four nesting pairs in Ohio in 1979. By 2007, the bird was taken off the federal list of threatened and endangered species and from Ohio’s list in 2012.
Since 2012, nests have increased across Ohio.
In Richland County, there were five nests reported. This year, the number increased to 13, a 160% increase.
Bald eagles prefer to live in areas of with wetland habitat. So most of the birds that call Ohio home nest near Lake Erie. Below is a list of the 13 counties with the highest number of bald eagle nests:
- Ottawa (112)
- Sandusky (61)
- Erie (40)
- Seneca (36)
- Wyandot (31)
- Trumbull (29)
- Lucas (27)
- Huron (21)
- Wood (20)
- Coshocton, Knox, Licking, Mercer (19)
Conservation efforts
ODNR’s Division of Wildlife relies on aerial surveys each spring to estimate the bald eagle population in Ohio. This spring’s survey found the state’s eagle nest success rate (the number of nests with eggs or eaglets) to be 78%. Last year that number was 82% and it was 73% in 2023.
This year, the number of eaglets per active nest was an average of 1.3, a number slightly lower than last year’s 1.6 and similar to 2023’s 1.2.
A full census happens less frequently — the last being in 2020.
In 2020, the division documented 707 active bald eagle nests, those with an incubating eagle, eggs, or eaglets present.
“The census was a success because of the involvement of so many Ohioans,” said Laura Kearns, a wildlife biologist with the Division of Wildlife. “Thank you to each of you who contributed to this monumental effort. This comprehensive study shows that Ohio’s eagle population is resilient and thriving.”
Bald eagle habitat protection and research is funded by statewide sales of bald eagle conservation license plates, income tax check-off donations to the Endangered Species and Wildlife Diversity Fund and sales of the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp.
Bald eagles are protected under state law and the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
“When viewing these majestic birds, remember to respect the bird’s space and stay at least 100 yards away. Disturbing bald eagles at the nest site could lead the pair to abandon the eggs,” reads an ODNR press release.
Bald Eagle count by county
A county list of all verified active bald eagle nests in 2025 is shown below.
The first number following the county’s name shows the number of nests for 2025, with the 2020 number in parentheses.
These numbers are raw data and subject to change.
Adams: 3 (1); Allen: 12 (5); Ashland: 13 (9); Ashtabula: 18 (16); Athens: 4 (1); Auglaize: 7 (4); Belmont: 3 (4); Brown: 4 (4); Butler: 4 (8); Carroll: 2 (1); Champaign: 3 (2); Clark: 7 (5); Clermont: 4 (4); Clinton: 1 (2); Columbiana: 7 (4); Coshocton: 19 (14); Crawford: 11 (6); Cuyahoga: 5 (3); Darke: 2 (1); Defiance: 7 (8); Delaware: 15 (13); Erie: 40 (32); Fairfield: 4 (2); Fayette: 5 (3); Franklin: 6 (5); Fulton: 3 (3); Gallia: 1 (1); Geauga: 12 (7); Greene: 6 (4); Guernsey: 3 (2); Hamilton: 7 (3); Hancock: 14 (12); Hardin: 12 (9); Harrison: 4 (1); Henry: 7 (6); Highland: 8 (4); Hocking: 2 (1); Holmes: 9 (5); Huron: 21 (15); Jackson: 4 (0); Jefferson: 3 (2); Knox: 19 (16); Lake: 14 (7); Lawrence: 2 (0); Licking: 19 (17); Logan: 12 (8); Lorain: 15 (10); Lucas: 27 (18); Madison: 6 (2); Mahoning: 8 (7); Marion: 15 (11); Medina: 5 (5); Meigs: 0 (0); Mercer: 19 (16); Miami: 9 (5); Monroe: 2 (4); Montgomery: 3 (3); Morgan: 3 (1); Morrow: 9 (5); Muskingum: 13 (6); Noble: 2 (1); Ottawa: 112 (90); Paulding: 5 (3); Perry: 3 (2); Pickaway: 12 (9); Pike: 4 (4); Portage: 8 (8); Preble: 5 (3); Putnam: 13 (8); Richland: 13 (14); Ross: 8 (7); Sandusky: 61 (50); Scioto: 4 (2); Seneca: 36 (24); Shelby: 4 (3); Stark: 6 (4); Summit: 8 (5); Trumbull: 29 (26); Tuscarawas: 10 (9); Union: 15 (8); Van Wert: 3 (2); Vinton: 2 (1); Warren: 9 (4); Washington: 3 (1); Wayne: 12 (7); Williams: 4 (4); Wood: 20 (16); Wyandot: 31 (19).
2025 total: 964
2020 total: 707