2025 New Jersey Bald Eagle Report

by: Senior biologist, Larissa Smith

The 2025 NJ Bald Eagle Project report developed by the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey , has been released.  In 2025 the NJ eagle population had a decline in the number of active (laid eggs) nest from 264 active nests in 2024 to 251 in 2025.  The decline is partly due to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Testing confirmed that 28 of 56 bald eagle mortalities last year (for which testing was completed) were the result of HPAI.

Of the 234 nests with known outcomes, 71 percent were successful in producing 271 offspring. The productivity rate for nests with known outcomes was 1.16 young per nest, which is lower than usual but slightly above the ~1.0 required to maintain a stable population.  More information and data from the 2025 season is in the report, including band resightings and mortality reports.

Brian Wozniak photographed A-77 a nesting male in Bucks County, PA on December 31st, 2025.  In May 2001 he was banded as a six week old chick at a nest in Belleplain, NJ, making him 25 years old.

The declines in active nests shows the importance of maintaining a eagle nest monitoring project in New Jersey, even though in January 2025, New Jersey changed the conservation status of the bald eagle from endangered to species of special concern.  All the data collected for the report comes from NJ Eagle Project Nest Monitors.  There are 170 dedicated eagle project volunteers who monitor all know and viewable eagle nests in New Jersey. Not only do they keep track of nesting season data, they also education the public and landowners about nesting eagles.  The success of the eagle project over the year is directly due to the nest monitors. We thank them for their hard work and dedication.

Blog August 2025: Eagle Project Volunteer Favorite Photos  

2025 NJ Bald Eagle Project Report

NJ Bald Eagle Project