The U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service announced today that the bald eagle will be removed from the Endangered Species Act’s list of threatened species, because it has not only survived but is thriving.

The bald eagle, an American national symbol, was on the verge of extinction in the late 40’s. The eagle population hit bottom in 1963 when only 417 mating pairs could be documented in the 48 states and its survival as a species was in doubt.

Bald Eagles were declared an endangered species in 1967 under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Congress banned most uses of DDT in 1972 and the eagle began to rebound.

 “All Americans have reason to be proud. Our nation’s symbol, the Bald Eagle is once again thriving,” said George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy (ABC).  “The conservation of the Bald Eagle is a true success story and a reflection of the concern Americans have for the environment. We strongly support delisting the eagle.”

The success is evident in the Audubon counts. Over a 40 year period from 1967 to 2006, bald eagle sightings have gone up nine fold and increased an average of six percent per year every year. The top five states with the most dramatic increases were Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Vermont and Michigan, which all had at least a 13 fold increase over 40 years.

"Audubon's bird count data confirms that the bald eagle has recovered across America," says Greg Butcher, Audubon's Director of Bird Conservation. "Audubon's count shows that Americans are seeing the bald eagle's recovery beyond the numbers and the technical reports. They're seeing it in their skies."