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Michigan Probes Suspected Illegal Killings Of Five Bald Eagles

Michigan wildlife officials found five dead bald eagles on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, and have opened a probe into suspected illegal killings, a development reported by Fox News.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the deaths and whether criminal charges are warranted, the report said.

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📌 Key Facts

  • Five dead bald eagles were found between April 3 and April 17, 2026, in Delta County’s Garden Peninsula in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
  • Michigan DNR ruled out natural causes, predators, and vehicle collisions and is treating the deaths as suspicious, seeking public tips through a poaching hotline.
  • Illegally killing a bald eagle can bring up to 90 days in jail, $100–$1,000 in fines per bird, and $1,500 restitution per eagle under state law.
  • Michigan’s bald eagle population has recovered from about 52 breeding pairs in the 1960s to roughly 900 pairs by 2023.

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