The walk to Allison and Hodge Alves’s house is a shaded one. The historic street in midtown Mobile lies under a canopy of live oak trees, branches reaching out in a constant embrace, patches of sunshine sneaking through like mini skylights. It’s dazzling, but I’m not here for the oaks; I’m here for a pine tree and its current tenants.
I meet Hodge and Allison in their usual spot, the front porch, and I’m greeted by their own sunshine and outstretched arms, making it easy to see why a pair of bald eagles took up residence in their backyard four years ago.
“Our history with the eagles starts with a hurricane,” Hodge begins. “When the pandemic started in 2020, we spent most of our ‘alone time’ down at our home on Fish River, where we could still enjoy the outdoors and fresh air. It was our COVID salvation — until Hurricane Sally hit and sent us packing back to Mobile. We were devastated to lose our happy place at the river, but soon after we returned home, a second salvation flew in on the wings of eagles.”
Allison said they first noticed the eagles when they began building their nest. They were hooked immediately. “We stashed binoculars at every window that faced the nest,” she says. “It’s become such a habit that we can’t even walk past the windows without pausing to see if we can see them.”
During the past four years, the Alves’s have learned a thing or two about their new neighbors. “Their table manners are not good,” Hodge laughs. “And they don’t do a good job taking out the trash. You’ll find fish bones and all sorts of things on the ground below the nest.”
The Alves’s have found that some of the eagles’ relationship dynamics are eerily familiar. “We hear them squabbling in the nest sometimes, almost like they are arguing over furniture just like we do. ‘I don’t like this coffee table anymore, we need a new one,’ and out goes a stick from the nest.”
Hodge jokes that they might even be visiting some of the same local watering holes. “The male came in late one afternoon, and the female was giving him hell. He was a little apologetic, looking around with his head down. And then he fell a little bit on one of the limbs, like he was still a little drunk. He obviously had been down at Callaghan’s.”
With eagles spotted all over the United States from Alaska to Maine, why Mobile? Besides Callaghan’s, it’s simple: the water. Surrounded by miles and miles of rivers, the Delta, Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile is an ideal spot for species who depend on a constant water source for survival. Our mild winters are also an attractive feature to eagles who usually plan their nesting periods around springtime, when fish are spawning and the winter weather is giving way to warmer temperatures.
I reached out to certified wildlife biologist, Patrick Honan, to learn more about the Alves’s new neighbors. “The eagles choose a nest location based on two things: proximity to water and visibility,” Honan explains. “What’s unusual in this case is that the nest location is not as close to the food and water source as these birds normally prefer. It’s also in an urban environment directly beneath the flyway for Brookley Field, so there is a lot of noise and traffic both on the roads and in the sky. They may have chosen this particular spot because it’s safe from the weather and wind that can be more of a hazard closer to the water; the tradeoff is that they’re farther from their grocery store.”
But it seems the eagles have adjusted well to life in Midtown. “Eagles reach maturity typically around year five when their plumage will transform from dark brown to their recognizable white head,” he continues. “This couple has produced two successful clutches of eggs, two in 2022 and two in 2023, for a total of four eaglets born right here in this pine tree in midtown Mobile.”
When the eaglets are around eight to 12 weeks, they will begin to fledge, also known as the world’s cutest flight training. “You will see them out on the branches close to the nest, flapping their wings in preparation for the big moment,” Honan explains. “They will stay with the adult eagles for about one to two months, and when they are able to fly, they will join the adults on hunting expeditions to watch and observe how food is secured. This year the eaglets hatched in January, fledged in March and they were gone in May. When they leave the nest, they fly off to find a new territory, but the adults, who mate for life, will commonly use the same nest again when breeding, so it’s likely we will continue to see them here.”
While the eagles’ presence is exciting, Honan’s biggest concern is their ensured future here. “As neighbors to these special species of bird, it’s important that we treat them with the same respect you would any other neighbor. If you spot a nest, observe it from a distance. Do not disturb or harass the eagles or the nest so that they will continue to call this place home for years to come.”
As Honan points out, while they are majestic, the eagles are not invincible. They face threats from other animal species found in trees, like snakes and raccoons, as well other birds that might go after the eagles’ eggs. But one of their biggest threats is a tough one to swallow: us.
In the 60s and 70s, DDT was a common insecticide used on agriculture farms throughout the United States. Because of this, the eagle population plummeted. Infertility in eagles became widespread, and the eggs that managed to survive were brittle and nonviable. The United States banned the use of DDT, and thanks to the Endangered Species Act in 1973, eagles were granted additional federal protection. Due to the success of these environmental changes and protections, the eagles were delisted in 2007.
Dr. Scott Duncan, executive director of Alabama Audubon, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote conservation and a greater knowledge of birds, their habitats and the natural world, remembers the first pair of breeding eagles in coastal Alabama after the DDT crisis.
“There was so much excitement in the birding community when the word got out. The nest location was kept secret to protect the eagles from being disturbed by well-intentioned visitors. Now look at how far we have come! That illustrates a success story of how the proper regulations can lead to a better, cleaner environment, which is better for people, too.”
Today, the eagles are still protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and the Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act (1940), but despite these protections, they continue to face other manmade threats. With a diet largely consisting of fish, eagles face a toxic threat from mercury exposure, as well as lead poisoning from fishing tackle. Outside of fish, eagles tend to scavenge on the remains of dead animals, which can put them at risk of poisoning related to lead shot from unrecovered game during recreational hunting. Habitat fragmentation, caused by land development, is also a major issue affecting the success of the eagle population, as the landscapes changes can diminish visibility of water and landscape, a key factor when eagles are nesting.
Thankfully there are many people locally dedicating their careers to combating these threats. Cassie Bates, a staff scientist at Mobile Baykeeper, explains her organization’s role in this fight.
Left Photo by Kathy Hicks Right Photo by Patrick Honan
“Baykeeper works to defend and revive the coastal waters of Alabama, which has a lot of direct and indirect benefits for birds of prey,” she says. “Eagles, ospreys and other fish hawks catch fish from these waters just like we do, so the work that we do to restore water quality and aquatic habitats helps to protect a healthy fishery. Specifically, we are working to restore our oyster, seagrass and marsh habitats, which all are integral for healthy juvenile fish species to thrive and support predators higher on the food chain.”
“Additionally, we work to conserve terrestrial habitats like wetlands which act like sponges for pollutant runoff and provide food and shelter for a wide variety of animals, including birds of prey. We advocate against the destruction and degradation of these spaces, especially through irresponsible developmental practices. This requires our community to take responsibility for their role in sustaining or erasing the beauty of coastal Alabama. We have to ask ourselves if another car wash, storage facility or subdivision is more important than these things.”
Bates strongly believes current and potential property owners can play a huge role in protecting eagles and so many other species. “It is important to attend city or county zoning meetings and speak up against projects that clear and fill wetlands. Choosing not to support destructive development practices when buying homes or selling properties and placing acres into conservation easements can make a huge difference for birds of prey that depend on habitat resources to fish and nest.”
Dr. Lianne Koczur, the science and conservation director at Alabama Audubon, applauds the work of our community and local conservationists in this effort.
“I have been working at Alabama Audubon for five years now, and it’s been so fun to see bald eagles out near the beach or flying overhead as we conduct surveys,” says Koczur. “I can remember a time when they weren’t common at all and to see how successful their recovery has been is inspiring.”
Back on the front porch with Allison and Hodge, the sun starts to set as the post-work foot traffic begins to pick up and hellos are tossed back and forth between neighbors.
Allison reflects again on the arrival of the eagles almost four years ago. “We truly interpreted their presence as a gift. The river was taken away from us, and it was like they said, ‘It’s okay, we’re here, and we’re going to help you get through this.’ They really stuck to their word and are still here with us.”
As for their effect on the neighborhood, Hodge says it’s been transformative. “The eagles have truly brought us together. Their presence has changed our interactions with each other and increased the camaraderie around here. We have beautiful birds in this area of the country, especially right here in our neighborhood, tons of cardinals, even an owl. But they don’t do what the eagles do.”
As we finish up our conversation, I hear voices approaching from down the street. A young couple stops directly in front of the Alves’s house, their eyes searching the sky, their necks craning in search of one — or two — things. “Are they still here? Did we miss them?”
Hodge and Allison look at me and laugh. “See?” They show the couple a better spot to safely view the nest from the sidewalk and share a few facts that I know the couple will scatter like seeds to other friends and neighbors who will soon grow into eagle admirers as well.
I’m reminded of something Honan said when we spoke a few days before. I asked if he ever feels like he’s fighting a losing battle with conservation and all the threats posed to the environment. He nodded yes, but his answer was filled with hope.
“My neighbors have two little girls who constantly want to show me things they’ve discovered in nature — they’re so excited about everything. We need to be more like kids, more appreciative of the world around us. We need to think of ourselves as a part of the system, and not as the top of the system. We are in this world together, and we need to give each other space to live and thrive.”
In one historic neighborhood in Mobile, the efforts of local experts combined with the admiration of old and new birdwatchers are doing just that.
All photos were taken from a safe, respectable distance without disturbing or harassing the nesting pair.
