After three years of ticks killing off bald eagle nestlings in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Department constructed “starter nests” in nearby trees. This year the bald eagle pair used one of the man-made nests and successfully fledged two young, says a department press release.

Several attempts to protect the nestlings from the ticks in the old nest were unsuccessful. While building the man-made nests, the old nest was removed and burned.

The press release gives more detail about the attempts to rid the nest and the tree from ticks, but does not give any detail about techniques used in the building the starter nests.

According to the release: “Bald eagle conservation in Arizona is a partnership effort of the Southwest Bald Eagle Management Committee — a group of 25 government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes.”

Photo: Building a new bald eagle nest, courtesy of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.