Bald eagle

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America. It lives near big lakes and rivers where it can find food and tall trees to build its nest. You can find them in most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico.

Bald eagles love to eat fish. They catch fish by diving down and grabbing them from the water with their sharp claws. They build very big nests, the biggest of any North American bird. Some of these nests can be as deep as four metres and as heavy as a car! These eagles can start having babies when they are about four to five years old.

Even though they are called "bald", these eagles are not without feathers. The name comes from an old meaning of the word, talking about their white heads. Adult bald eagles have brown bodies with white heads and tails. The female eagles are a little bigger than the males. Young eagles are covered in brown feathers until they get older.

The bald eagle is the national bird and national symbol of the United States. You can see it on its seal. In the late 1900s, there were fewer bald eagles because of hunting and a harmful chemical called DDT. But after laws were made to protect them, their numbers went up again, and they are safe now.

Taxonomy

The bald eagle is a kind of sea eagle and belongs to the genus Haliaeetus. Its name comes from the white feathers on its head, which look different from its darker body.

The scientific name of the bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, was first used by a scientist named Carl Linnaeus a long time ago. The bald eagle looks similar to the white-tailed eagle found in Europe and Asia, and they live in similar ways, even though they are from different places.

Description

Adult bald eagles have dark brown bodies with white heads and tails. They have bright yellow beaks, feet, and eyes. Both males and females look the same, but females are about 25% larger than males.

Young bald eagles have dark brown feathers with messy white patches. They look different from golden eagles, which are another large bird in North America. Bald eagles can be quite large, with wingspans up to about 2.3 meters (7 feet 7 inches). Females are usually bigger than males. Their size can change depending on where they live. Bald eagles make weak, chirping calls, similar to the sound of a gull.

Range

The bald eagle lives in most of North America, including Canada, the continental United States, and northern Mexico. It is the only sea eagle found only in North America. These birds live in many places, from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert and the forests of Quebec and New England. Birds in the north move to warmer places when it gets cold, while birds in the south stay in the same area all year.

In the past, bald eagles were mostly found in Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, parts of Canada, and Florida. But since 1966, their numbers have grown a lot. By 2018, they were nesting in every state and province in the United States and Canada. Many bald eagles in Canada live along the coast of British Columbia, and big groups are also in the forests of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. In winter, from November to February, up to two thousand bald eagles gather in Squamish, British Columbia, between Vancouver and Whistler, where they eat salmon. In March 2024, bald eagles were seen nesting in Toronto for the first time. Similar gatherings happen in the Northern United States where fish are easy to find.

Habitat

The bald eagle lives in wet areas in North America, like near seacoasts, rivers, large lakes, and marshes. These places have lots of fish and big bodies of water.

Bald eagles build their nests in tall, old trees close to water. These trees help them see well and spot their food easily. They like trees that are at least 20 meters tall and near where they can find fish. Their nests can be very big. The largest nest found was almost 3 meters wide and over 6 meters deep.

Behavior

Bald eagles are strong fliers. They can glide and flap at speeds of 56–70 km/h (35–43 mph). When carrying fish, they fly at about 48 km/h (30 mph). They can dive fast, between 120–160 km/h (75–99 mph), but they don’t often dive straight down. Bald eagles are good at flying and can catch up to other birds.

These birds move to different places depending on where they live. If their home near water freezes in winter, they travel south or to the coast to find food. Young bald eagles often leave their homes after breeding. They use rising air currents called thermals to help them fly. Migration usually happens during the day, between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

thermal golden eagles migratory updrafts

Diet and feeding

Bald eagles eat many different foods, depending on what they can find. Fish are a big part of their diet, especially near water. They catch fish by diving down and grabbing it with their strong claws. They also eat birds, mammals, and sometimes dead animals they find.

Bald eagles are skilled hunters. They can catch birds while they are flying or take eggs from nests. They sometimes work together to catch bigger animals. They also eat dead animals they find on the ground or take from other animals. This helps them get food when live animals are hard to find.

In different places, bald eagles eat different kinds of fish, birds, and small animals. Their flexible eating habits help them live in many different environments.

Reproduction

Bald eagles are ready to breed when they are four or five years old. They often come back to where they were born to find a mate. These birds usually stay with the same partner for life. If one bird is lost, the other will find a new partner.

When ready to breed, males show off with special calls and exciting flights. They might chase each other and fly high together. Bald eagles build large nests in tall trees near water. These nests can grow very big over many years. The birds lay eggs in late February, and the eggs hatch in April or May. The baby birds, called eaglets, leave the nest and learn to fly about eight to fourteen weeks later. Both male and female eagles help take care of the eggs and the young.

Longevity and mortality

Bald eagles can live about 20 years in the wild. Some have lived even longer in captivity. One eagle in New York lived almost 50 years.

Most young eagles die before their first year. Some lose their nests, get too cold or hot, or are eaten by animals like gulls, ravens, or crows. Eagles work hard to protect their nests and chase away big animals like bears.

Relationship with humans

Population decline and recovery

Bald eagles used to be common across North America, but their numbers dropped sharply in the mid-20th century. A pesticide called DDT made it hard for the birds to lay strong eggs. Other problems included losing their homes and being hunted. By the 1950s, there were only about 412 pairs left in the contiguous states of the U.S.

Laws were passed to protect bald eagles, and in 1972, DDT was banned in the United States. This helped the eagles recover. Today, their numbers are growing again, especially near water. Alaska has the most bald eagles, followed by British Columbia. The bald eagle was taken off the list of endangered species in 2007.

The bald eagle was taken off the U.S. list of endangered species in 2007. In some places, more eagles have meant fewer of other birds, and sometimes they are seen as a problem.

Killing permits

In December 2016, rules were suggested to let wind farms accidentally harm bald eagles without punishment.

In captivity

To keep bald eagles in places like schools or museums, you need special permission. These eagles are usually ones that can't live in the wild anymore. They need good homes and careful care. In some places, bald eagles can be used in shows.

Cultural significance

The bald eagle is important in many Native American cultures and is the national symbol of the United States. You can see it on seals, logos, coins, and stamps linked to the U.S. federal government.

In some North American cultures, the bald eagle is a sacred bird. Its feathers are important for religious and spiritual traditions. Many powwow dancers wear eagle claw in their outfits. Eagle feathers are used in ceremonies. For example, in Navajo tradition, an eagle feather is seen as a protector. The Lakota give eagle feathers as symbols of honor. The Pawnee see eagles as symbols of fertility, and the Choctaw view the bald eagle as a symbol of peace.

During the Sun Dance practiced by many Plains Indian tribes, eagles are represented in many ways, like using eagle feathers in fans.

The bald eagle became the national symbol of the United States in 1782. It appears on important government seals, like the presidential seal.