Biologists are asking people not to feed the eagles, and to take other precautions to help solve this immediate problem. Large concentrations of bald eagles gather in many south coastal communities. In an effort to solve this growing problem, some communities are burning and baling their trash, putting lids on dumpsters, keeping boat decks free of bait and fish waste, and refraining from feeding the eagles. Bald eagles are abundant throughout coastal Alaska, because of the rich food supplies of fish, seabirds, waterfowl and marine mammals. Although eagles will catch and eat healthy fish, birds, and small mammals, they are opportunistic scavengers and will eat dead animals from the beach, weak or dying animals, and garbage from humans.
Eagles face many hazards in populated areas.
Numerous eagles have been injured or killed by power lines, windows and car strikes. Some eagles have gotten stuck in dumpsters, or have been compacted with the trash in dump trucks. Eagles have been injured and even killed while squabbling over food left on decks of fishing boats. Recently the Unalaska landfill started baling and burning garbage, making once abundant food sources of human garbage unavailable to eagles. Other communities have put heavy lids on dumpsters to prevent eagles from getting the trash.