See a bald eagle carrying sticks? Massachusetts wildlife officials want to know

BOSTON - Keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles making a special delivery. 

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife is asking residents to report sightings of eagles carrying sticks.

"It's the season of the sticks for bald eagles!" the agency said Tuesday, referencing a hit song by Grammy-nominated Watertown artist Noah Kahan. "From December-February, they are collecting building materials for their nests, including large sticks."

The male eagles bring the sticks to their female partner who builds the large nest. She'll typically lay her eggs sometime in March or early April.

Anyone who spots an eagle with sticks should email mass.wildlife@mass.gov to report when and where their observation happened. MassWildlife will use the information to identify new nest locations and keep track of the eagle population.

Bald eagle population in Massachusetts

As of 2023, there were at least 70 nesting pairs of eagles in Massachusetts. They are often found nesting in big trees near open water sources like lakes and ponds.

Bald eagles are listed as a species of "special concern" in Massachusetts. The now-banned pesticide DDT devastated the population, but conservation efforts that began in the 1980s have helped bald eagles rebound in the state. They were removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007.