The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) are requesting assistance with an investigation of the destruction of a bald eagle nest. An active bald eagle nest was destroyed in Berkeley County, South Carolina, in June 2017. The nest was in an area of woods being logged near the junction of Crowfield Boulevard and Corporate Parkway. in Goose Creek, S.C.

The Service is offering a reward of $1,000 for information that leads to successful prosecution in this case.

Anyone with information about the destruction of the bald eagle nest or any information related to this investigation is urged to contact Resident Agent in Charge John Elofson at 404-763-7959 x222; Special Agent Jimmy Barna at 404-763-7959 x233; or SCDNR Dispatch 1-800-922-5431. (game wardens Thomas Spann or Bill Bense).

Bald eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. This act prohibits take, where take is defined as "pursue, shoot, shoot at, poison, wound, kill, capture, trap, collect, destroy, molest or disturb". The Service defines disturb as "to agitate or bother a bald or golden eagle to the degree that causes, or is likely to cause, based on the best scientific information available, 1) injury to an eagle, 2) a decrease in its productivity, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior, or 3) nest abandonment, by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding, or sheltering behavior."

In addition, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act outlines the prohibitions regarding the taking of any migratory bird or any part, nest, or egg, except as permitted by regulation.

Bald eagles are also listed in South Carolina as a state threatened species (and receive state protection as a nongame species.

Contact:
Phil Kloer, 404-679-7299, Philip_Kloer@fws.gov
Greg Lucas, 864-380-5201, lucasg@dnr.sc.gov