Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America. Its brown body and white head and tail make it easy to identify even from a distance. When flying, the bald eagle very rarely flaps its wings but soars instead, holding its wings almost completely flat. Its hooked bill, legs and feet are yellow. Immature bald eagles don’t develop the distinctive white head and tail until they are 4-5 years old.
Length Around 3 feet; males are smaller
Wingspan Females around 7 feet;
males around 6 feet
Weight 10-14 lbs
Lifespan 20-30 years
Diet
Staples Carrion, fish, smaller birds, and rodents. Also known to prey on large birds and large fish.
Population
Bald eagle numbers in the U.S. were estimated to be between 300,000-500,000 in the 1700s. Numbers were once as low as 500 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. Bald eagle numbers have rebounded since and now the lower 48 states boast over 5,000 nesting pairs. There are a total of about 70,000 bald eagles in the whole of North America (Including Alaska and Canada).
Range
Bald eagles live near bodies of water in Canada and Alaska, and in scattered locations all throughout the lower 48 states and Mexico.
Behavior
The bald eagle is not picky about how it gets its food. It will eat carrion, steal fish from other birds or hunt for its own. Their most important non-carrion food is fish, which they catch by swooping down and grabbing fish that are near the surface of the lake or stream.
Bald eagles make a high-pitched squeaking sound. Other interesting behaviors include “talon clasping” or “cartwheel display”, where two eagles clasp each other’s talons in mid air and spin down, letting go only when they’ve almost reached the ground. This is may be a courtship ritual as well as a territorial battle.
During breeding season, the male and female work together to build a nest of sticks, usually located at the top of a tree. The nests can weigh up to a ton and measure up to 8 feet across. Once paired, bald eagles remain with each other until one mate dies, then the surviving bird will find another mate.
Reproduction
Mating Season Anywhere from late September to early April,
depending on the region
Gestation The female lays her first egg 5-10 days
after mating. The eggs are incubated for about 35 days.
Clutch size 1-3
eggs
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs, but the female
spends most of her time in the nest. When three are laid, however, it is very
rare that all the young will survive. While one parent sits on the eggs,
the other will hunt and collect materials for nest upkeep. When the young
hatch, their eyes are open and they are covered in light grey down.
Threats
Bald eagles were very negatively affected by DDT, a pesticide that was not banned in the US until 1972 though its dangers were known in the early 1960s. It wasn’t lethal to the bald eagles themselves, but the DDT they ingested weakened the shells of their eggs to the point where the eggs cracked under the weight of an adult eagle. Thanks to the banning of DDT in 1972 and the passage of the landmark Endangered Species Act in 1973, this colossal bird of prey recovered at a faster pace than conservationists had ever expected. Today, illegal shooting of bald eagles is considered the biggest threat to their survival. Other threats include lead poisoning from eating ducks that have consumed lead shot, power line electrocution and habitat loss.
Legal Status/Protection
The bald eagle is protected under CITES, Appendix II*, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In some states, bald eagles are also protected by state endangered species laws.
* Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty with 172 member countries. Appendix I species cannot be traded commercially. Appendix II species can be traded commercially only if it does not harm their survival.
How You Can Help
- Help bald eagles and other wildlife by adopting a bald eagle at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
- Support the Endangered Species Act
For additional information
Visit Defenders' Imperiled Species: Bald Eagle pages for more information about what Defenders is doing to help.Bald Eagles on eNature.com
