Bald Eagle Sightings Surge in Nevada's Tahoe Region

Annual midwinter count tracks growing eagle populations in the area

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Once nearly driven to extinction, bald eagle populations have dramatically rebounded in recent decades, with sightings in the Tahoe Basin generally numbering in the 20s to 40s over the last few years. The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science organizes an annual midwinter bald eagle count to track the growing populations in northwestern Nevada and the Tahoe region.

Why it matters

Bald eagles are considered a conservation success story, with their populations recovering from dangerously low levels in the 1960s. Their return to the Tahoe region is a sign of a healthy, functioning ecosystem that can support the majestic birds at the top of the food chain.

The details

The annual midwinter bald eagle count relies on a team of volunteers to help staff from the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science track sightings along the Tahoe lakeshore. In 2019, about 10 breeding pairs were documented in Nevada, up from just 5 pairs in 2007. Over the last few years, eagle sightings in the Tahoe Basin have generally ranged from the 20s to 40s, with 23 bald eagles spotted this year by volunteers at more than two dozen observation points.

  • In 2007, a reported five bald eagle pairs nested across the entire state of Nevada, including two pairs in the Tahoe Basin.
  • In 2019, about 10 breeding pairs were documented in Nevada, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The players

Will Richardson

The executive director of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, who has organized the annual midwinter bald eagle count for years.

Mark Enders

The state biodiversity biologist, who notes that while bald eagle nesting numbers in Nevada remain low, the number of birds that come to the state for winter feeding is much more substantial.

Tahoe Institute for Natural Science

An organization that organizes the annual midwinter bald eagle count to track populations in the Tahoe region.

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What they’re saying

“By doing this count, we get a much broader snapshot of what's going on all over. We're curious what's going on at Tahoe, but we really want to know what's going on big picture.”

— Will Richardson, Executive Director, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (The Nevada Independent)

“It's just kind of this slow recovery. It's still kind of happening, in a way.”

— Mark Enders, State Biodiversity Biologist (The Nevada Independent)

What’s next

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science plans to continue organizing the annual midwinter bald eagle count to track the growing populations in the region.

The takeaway

The resurgence of bald eagle populations in the Tahoe region is a testament to the success of conservation efforts, as the birds have rebounded from dangerously low levels just decades ago. Their return is a sign of a healthy ecosystem that can support these majestic birds at the top of the food chain.