Florida Bald Eagle Nesting
Habitat Analysis

This project explores the relationship between Florida Bald Eagle nesting locations and proximity to major roadways.

The objective was to determine whether Bald Eagles avoid nesting near roads due to sensitivity to human activity, or whether other environmental factors play a more significant role.

Based on known behavioral patterns, it was assumed that:

• Bald Eagles prefer undisturbed environments

• Nesting activity would decrease near major roadways

• Proximity to water would remain a critical factor regardless of human presence

This project focused on applying foundational GIS tools to answer a targeted research question. The scope was intentionally limited to data acquisition, spatial analysis, and poster-based visualization.

Key steps included:

• Acquiring spatial datasets for eagle nests, roadways, and hydrology

• Filtering and organizing data using attribute queries

• Creating buffers around major roadways

• Isolating active nest locations

• Designing a poster layout with map elements and supporting context

Due to the large geographic extent of Florida, the analysis was narrowed to the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater region to improve clarity and readability.

A proximity-based spatial analysis approach was used:

• Major roads were buffered at a one-mile distance

• Nest locations were analyzed relative to these buffers

• Hydrology data was included to provide environmental context

This approach allowed for visual comparison between human infrastructure and ecological patterns.

The analysis suggests that Bald Eagles do not consistently avoid nesting near major roadways.

Key observations include:

• Many nests are located within one mile of major roads

• Nesting locations are strongly associated with proximity to water

• Eagles appear adaptable to human presence, including development and noise

These findings indicate that access to food sources and suitable nesting structures may outweigh the impact of nearby roadways.

The final deliverable was a research poster integrating spatial analysis with cartographic design.

This project demonstrates:

• Application of foundational GIS tools (buffering, selection, querying)

• Ability to formulate and evaluate a spatial research question

• Integration of multiple datasets into a cohesive visual product

• Awareness of how environmental and human factors interact spatially

Several practical challenges impacted the project:

• Scale limitations: The size of Florida required narrowing the study area for clarity

• Computing constraints: Minimal RAM and low CPU speed affected software processing efficiency

• Time constraints: Limited time impacted depth of analysis and refinement

These constraints influenced both analytical decisions and final map design.

Several areas could strengthen the analysis:

• Quantifying nests inside vs. outside buffer zones

• Comparing active vs. inactive nest locations

• Expanding analysis to additional regions across Florida

• Incorporating additional environmental variables (land cover, elevation)

Further analysis could provide deeper insight into nesting behavior and habitat preferences.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission / National Audubon Society. (2025). Florida EagleWatch Nest Sites (Shapefile). Data provided via EagleWatch Program.

National Audubon Society. (2025). NestSites_EagleWatch Public View v2 (Feature Layer).
https://services1.arcgis.com/lDFzr3JyGEn5Eymu/arcgis/rest/services/NestSites_EagleWatch_Public_View/FeatureServer

U.S. Census Bureau. (2024). TIGER/Line Shapefiles: Florida Primary and Secondary Roads.
https://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/geo/shapefiles/index.php?year=2024&layergroup=Roads

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (2025). 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) – Florida Hydrology Dataset.
https://doi.org/10.5066/P148NT7B

Gedir, J. V., Millsap, B. A., Howell, P. E., Wittig, T. W., White, H. M., & Bjerre, E. R. (2023). Nest Success of Bald Eagles Exposed to Anthropogenic Activities in the United States. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, 14(2), 283–293.
https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-23-007