Bald eagle nest, USFWS
SHERMAN, Texas - Federal officials are searching for the person who destroyed a bald eagle’s nest in North Texas last year.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the nest was in a tree on private property on West Lamberth Road in Sherman.
Game wardens verified the nest in February of 2023 and observed two bald eagles using it.
A few days later, they got a call about the active nest being "illegally destroyed."
Destroyed bald eagle nest, USFWS
A photo shared by the Wildlife Service shows the tree holding the nest had apparently been chopped down at the base.
Bald eagles are a protected species, so disturbing their nest or eggs is a crime punishable by fines and up to a year in jail.
The Wildlife Service is now offering a $1,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
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The Dallas Park and Recreation Department says that almost two-thirds of the family's nest, located at Lake Highlands and N Buckner Boulevard, was destroyed.
Tipsters can call the agency’s office in Fort Worth at 817-334-5202.
They can also remain anonymous by calling the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-792-GAME.