An eagle's nest has been discovered in Toronto for the first time

An eagle's nest has been discovered in Toronto for the first time, the city's conservation department announced Thursday.

The news comes less than a year after Ontario removed the kingbird from its “at risk” species list.

“The Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) can confirm that this is the first documented Eagle nest in Toronto,” said Afia Jilani, TRCA spokeswoman, in an email to CTV News Toronto.

However, birders are asked not to go in search of the rare sighting, and its location will not be revealed “in any way,” the TRCA said.

“Bald eagles are sensitive creatures, especially during the nesting period. It is a disservice to draw public attention to them at this time,” Jilani said. “Preserving their habitat at a sensitive time and prioritizing their welfare, especially during the early stages of the nesting process, is critical.”

The mystery surrounding the location of the nest may be surprising to some, but it is easily explained by the fact that bald eagles became extinct in Ontario half a century ago due to the use of pesticides.

The insecticide DDT was particularly harmful to eagle nests and eggs and has since been banned in Canada and the US.

Bald eagles have been listed as a “threatened” species in the province for nearly 50 years due to declining populations in the province. The bird is listed as “special concern” under the Endangered Species Act.

The bird has since been delisted and Ontario's Ministry of Environment says the eagle has grown to about 2,600 nests as of May 2023.

Afterwards, Environment Minister David Picchini called the eagle's reclassification as a “vulnerable” species in the province a “huge victory for Ontario.”

“I mean, talk to anybody and they start seeing them again,” he told CTV News Toronto at the time.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Environment, bald eagles typically nest in large trees near a large lake or river, where they often hunt and are widely distributed across North America. They are known to feed on fish, but can easily catch ducks.