Date: 5/15/26 11:43 am From: Elena S <elmscott23...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Nesting Bald Eagles
Hi all,
Now that we have another pair of Bald Eagles nesting in Santa Cruz I thought I'd pass on a little legal information about their conservation status for anyone who may be interested.
*State Protections:* Bald Eagles are listed as *Endangered* in the state of California and are thus protected by the California Endangered Species Act. They are also considered a state "*Fully Protected*" species, which gives them additional protections. On top of these special statuses, when nesting they are protected like all other native nesting birds by *California Fish and Game Code 3503*.
*Federal Protections:* Covered by the *The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act*. Additionally the *Migratory Bird Treaty Act *protects the nests of all native nesting birds including the Bald Eagle.
Due to these legal protections, no construction should occur near the nest without a Biologist present and prior approvals. USFWS/CDFWS generally requires a minimum protective no-work buffer of *660 feet*. Any work that may result in disturbance to the nest, either within or outside that standard buffer, would require input from a biologist and likely permissions from regulatory agencies. If you see construction occurring near the nest, please don't hesitate to reach out to the County of Santa Cruz or feel free to email me and I can point you to the appropriate contacts.
Thanks everyone for your help in protecting this new pair of eagles! -Elena
