Delight in Toronto as bald eagles nest for first time

Few things delight the people of Toronto more than unexpected animals in unexpected places.

- Leyland Cecco

When a family of foxes took up residence beneath a boardwalk during the coronavirus pandemic, thousands flocked to the beach for a glimpse of the kits. When a beaver waddled through the city's downtown core with a large branch in its mouth, children cheered it on. And even when a raccoon plunged parts of Toronto into darkness, the urban creatures were celebrated for their indefatigable character.

Now, there are newcomers: a pair of bald eagles are nesting for the first time in the city's recorded history.

Their presence underscores the dramatic return of a bird pushed nearly to extinction and of the improving health of Toronto's sprawling green spaces and waterways.

Bald eagles, a bird perhaps more associated with the imagery of North America than any other fauna, are a rare ecological success story.