St. Petersburg Apartment Complex to Remove Slash Pine Housing Bald Eagle Nest
A St. Petersburg apartment complex, Bayou Court Apartments, is scheduled to remove a slash pine tree that houses a bald eagle nest. The property owners have obtained a permit to remove the tree, which they cite as a safety concern…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, July 24, 2026 —
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Bayou Court Apartments, a residential complex in St. Petersburg, has received a permit to remove a slash pine tree that is currently home to a bald eagle nest. The tree removal is slated to proceed while the bald eagles are away on migration, according to property owners.
The owners of Bayou Court Apartments stated that the decision to remove the tree stems from concerns over a potential pine bark beetle infestation, which they have cited as a safety hazard. The permit for the tree’s removal has been officially obtained.
The bald eagles that utilize the nest are not present at the site, as they are currently undertaking their annual migration. This departure from the nest provides a window for the tree removal to take place.
An Audubon EagleWatch volunteer, whose name was not provided, expressed sorrow regarding the impending removal of the slash pine. The volunteer noted that the bald eagles have a history of nesting in this specific tree for several years. Previously, the eagles had established their nest on a nearby cell tower, which was also subsequently demolished.
The specific date for the tree removal was not provided. The long-term nesting habits of the bald eagles in this location and the prior relocation from a cell tower highlight a pattern of ecological challenges for the local avian population in urban development settings.
Story summarized from the original created by By Michaela Mulligan, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.
