AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Maine wildlife officials are conducting the largest statewide survey of bald eagles in the Pine Tree State in several years.

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologists and game wardens pilots are conducting the survey, which is the largest of its kind since 2013.

Biologists started counting nesting eagle pairs from a plane in March. The state says biologists hope to finish up with aerial survey flights by the end of May.

Bald eagles nearly disappeared from Maine in the 1970s, when there were only 39 pairs remaining. There were more than 634 nesting pairs in the state in 2013.