Four decades after being pushed to the brink in New Jersey, the bald eagle population is continuing its steady recovery.
Observers recorded 172 nests last year -- 11 more than 2015, according to the 2016 NJ Bald Eagle Project Report. The report was released last week by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Species Program and the New Jersey.
Among the nests that were monitored, 150 had eggs. A total of 216 new birds were born to 132 of those nests. The report said that's more than what's needed to help maintain the state's current bald eagle population.
The group also reported seeing 15 new eagle pairs this season -- 12 in south Jersey and three in the central part of the state.
The Delaware Bay region still has the largest eagle population with 47 percent of nests in Cumberland and Salem counties, as well as the bay side of Cape May County.
New Jersey's bald eagle program is used to monitor the species' recovery and to help protect them and their nests. GPS transmitters are attached to young eagles to follow their movements.
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife said the biggest threats to the bald eagle population are habitat loss and human activity that can change eagles' behavior. Contaminants in the birds' food web can also affect nesting in the state.
Once endangered in the state, there was just one nesting pair reported in 1973 in a Cumberland County forest.
Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.