Arizona Game and Fish Department

A nesting pair of bald eagles.

As bald eagles at nearly 90 areas in Arizona prepare their nests for breeding season, officials are requesting that pilots, paragliders and drone operators steer clear of the birds.

They also ask that outdoor recreationists abide by temporary closures of public areas and observe the eagles from a distance. 

"The eagles themselves, they'll let you know when there's an activity that is causing them problems. They'll start vocalizing, they'll start flying around in circles, they'll fly over you. They're not saying 'Hi there'; they're saying, 'Please, please leave the area,'" said Kenneth Jacobson, raptor management coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

The 2019 breeding season saw 71 hatchlings, 63 of which reached the first flight stage known as fledgling.

Additional information on airspace advisories and seasonal closure is available at the Arizona Game and Fish website.