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<br />18 <br /> <br />Wisconsin, and Michigan where it will remain threatened). Its overall decline <br />has been attributed to the loss of breeding habitat, illegal shooting, and the <br />occurrence of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides in its food supply which <br />caused egg deterioration and reproduction failures. Since the banning of <br />dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane (DDT) and intensive protection efforts, <br />bald eagle populations and the number of occupied nesting territories have <br />increased throughout much of the United States over the past two decades. <br /> <br />In the Northern States Recovery Region, including Colorado, bald eagle nesting <br />activity has more than doubled in the past 10 years, from fewer than 700 to <br />nearly 1,800 territories that are known to be occupied. In Colorado, the <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife reported B or 9 nesting pairs in the late <br />1980's, and 21 pairs in 1995 (Jerry Craig, CDOW, pers. comm.). Of those <br />21 pairs, 16 are located west of the continental divide. <br /> <br />In the Southwestern Recovery Region, including New Mexico, 30 breeding <br />territorie~were occupied in 1994. In New Mexico, there were two occupied <br />territories in 1995, both were outside of the San Juan Basin. <br /> <br />Bald eagles are often found in association with open water along seacoasts, <br />large lakes and rivers. Their diet consists largely of fish and waterfowl, <br />but also includes upland birds, small mammals, and carrion. In southwest <br />Colorado, castings from one nest were made up entirely of prairie dog remains <br />(Jerry Craig, CDOW, pers. comm.). Bald eagles are skilled hunters but also <br />have been observed stealing prey captured by other raptors. <br /> <br />Survival of individual eagles, particularly those in their first year of life, <br />probably depends heavily on conditions they encounter during the wintering <br />period. The physiological condition of adults at the beginning of each <br />breeding season, an important factor influencing reproductive success, also is <br />affected by how well their energy demands are met in wintering areas. Thus, <br />the survival and recovery of nesting populations depend on eagles having <br />suitable wintering areas with an adequate prey base (U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service 1983). During the primary wintering period of December to March, <br />suitable roosting and foraging habitat is important to eagles (U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service 1992, Harmata 1984, Stalmaster et al. 1979, U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service 1983). <br /> <br />Colorado is a popular wintering area for bald eagles (U.S. Fish and Wildlife <br />Service 1992, Harmata 1984). In 1993-1994, 1,235 bald eagles were counted by <br />the Colorado Division of Wildlife during midwinter counts, and 931 were <br />counted in 1994-1995 (Jerry Craig, CDOW, pers. comm.). In New Mexico, during <br />the winter of 1994-1995, the New Mexico Department of Fish and Game counted <br />402 bald eagles state wide, with 35 occurring in the San Juan basin (John <br />Pittenger, CDOW, pers. comm.). <br /> <br />As part of the conservation recommendations of the 1991 biological opinion, <br />Reclamation conducted wintering bald eagle surveys from 1993-1995. Results of <br />the surveys show that the Animas and La Plata Rivers are important wintering <br />areas for bald eagles. The number of eagles observed along the Animas and la <br />Plata Rivers was consistent with counts conducted by the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife and the New Mexico Game and Fish Department during their annual <br />