Bald Eagles have not nested on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario in many years. By the 1980s there were only four active nests in all of the Great Lakes, which equals approximately 15 surviving birds. This was mostly because of widespread use of DDT, a pesticide that thins the shells of bird eggs. Bald eagles were practically locally extinct and there has not been a single successful nest on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario… until now.

In recent years Bald Eagles have been overwintering in Cootes Paradise, and in 2008 a pair stayed for the entire summer. For several years the pair did not lay eggs, but on March 22 and 23, 2013, the first eaglets on the Canadian shoreline of Lake Ontario is over 50 years were hatched in Cootes Paradise. This is a true testament to the restoration efforts that have taken place. If you visit the Royal Botanical Gardens’ lookout you may be rewarded with a view of the Bald Eagles and the nest. For more information click here.