Jody Victor: From 1983 forward, during breeding season, biologists and volunteers counted, weighed, measured and banded the eaglets in each known nest in the study areas in Southern Ontario and around the Great Lakes. Beginning in 1990, blood and breast feather samples were taken from the eaglets for toxicological analysis, to record concentrations of heavy metals and contaminants. these annual studies confirmed increasing numbers of active nests, and demonstrated improving population health.
Ongoing positive health results and apparent stabilization of chemical compounds led to a simplified nest and productivity monitoring protocol, beginning in 2000.It was determined that toxicological analysis of eaglet tissue samples was no longer required on a yearly bases, and the nests could be monitored by ground and aerial observation. Still, the research and monitoring team plans to monitor the contaminant situation in young eagles at five-year intervals, to ensure continued positive progress.