Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Expect lead ammo ban attempts soon

The paper, “Demographic Implications of Lead Poisoning for Eagles Across North America,” was published in the journal Science. Led by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Conservation Science Global, Inc., and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, researchers evaluated lead exposure in bald and golden eagles from 2010 to 2018.

“Studies have shown lethal effects to individual birds, but this new study is the first to show population-level consequences from lead poisoning to these majestic species at such a wide scale," said Anne Kinsinger, USGS Associate Director for Ecosystems.

These findings are the first to look at bald and golden eagle populations across North America, using samples from 1,210 eagles over 38 U.S. states including Alaska. Poisoning at the levels found in the study is causing population growth rates to slow for bald eagles by 3.8 percent and golden eagles by 0.8 percent annually. Previously, evaluations of lead exposure and its impact on eagle populations were only performed in local and regional studies. This groundbreaking study documents how lead poisoning inhibits both species’ population growth across North America.

“This is the first study of lead poisoning of wildlife at a nationwide scale, and it demonstrates the unseen challenges facing these birds of prey. We now know more about how lead in our environment is negatively impacting North America's eagles,” said Todd Katzner, USGS wildlife biologist and lead USGS author. 

A bald eagle sits on a tile floor partially covered with astroturf.
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This bald eagle was admitted to The Raptor Center in St. Paul, MN where it was determined by veterinarians to be poisoned by lead. The bowed head, drooped wings, and green stained tail feathers are all typical signs of lead poisoning of raptors.
In this study, almost 50 percent of the birds sampled showed evidence of repeated exposure to lead.

They obviously aren't eating enough of it cuz there's too many of them feathered rats around. Long since past time to step it up and give them the kind of lead poisoning that comes directly from the barrel of a gun. Same for hawks and owls.

I realize there are lead free offerings for centerfire cartridges. Given the tiny powder charge, can one even make a lead free 22 lr cartridge?

They obviously aren't eating enough of it cuz there's too many of them feathered rats around. Long since past time to step it up and give them the kind of lead poisoning that comes directly from the barrel of a gun. Same for hawks and owls.

Dont beleive the data on this for a second. Bald eagles were non existent in our area for decades and now you can see one any time you want to. I've seen more bald eagles in one year than my entire childhood combined. ...