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Bald Eagle
last update: Feb 24, 2009 11:08 PM
Latin name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Longevity: up to 40 years in the wild, and longer in captivity
Population: Alaska, with about 40,000–50,000 birds, with the next highest population being the Canadian province of British Columbia with 20,000–30,000 birds in 1992
Cites classified: Least Concern
Where found: found in North America that is most recognizable as the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.
Wingspan: 204 cm
Length: 71–96 cm
Weight: 3-6.3 kg
Mating/Breeding: It is sexually mature at four years or five years of age. When they are old enough to breed, they often return to the area where they were born. It is thought that Bald Eagles mate for life. However, if one member of a pair dies or disappears, the other will choose a new mate. A pair which has repeatedly failed in breeding attempts may split and look for new mates. Both the male and female take turns incubating the eggs. The other parent will hunt for food or look for nesting material.
Eggs: 1-3 eggs large, dull, white eggs
Hibernation: Bald Eagles winter in coastal Alaska and Canada and throughout the lower 48 states
Hunting Habits: It gets food by direct capture, scavenging, and stealing prey from other eagles or other birds and mammals and will wade in water to catch fish.
Feed on: Its diet consists mainly of fish, but it is an opportunistic feeder. Mammalian prey includes rabbits, hares, raccoons, muskrats, beavers, sea otters, and deer fawns. Preferred avian prey includes grebes, alcids, ducks, gulls, coots, egrets and geese. Most live prey are quite a bit smaller than the eagle, but predatory attacks on large birds such as the Great Blue Heron and even swans have been recorded. Reptiles, amphibians and crustaceans (especially crabs) are preyed on when available.
Predators: Humans are the most important source of mortality. Over the years, the Bald Eagle population has suffered from excessive
hunting and pollution. In the early part of the century, hunting eagles
was a popular sport. Eagles were shot not only for their feathers, but
also because they posed a "threat" to livestock (e.g. sheep) and
hampered the fishing industry. In recent years, however, pollution has
greatly contributed to the demise of the species. As a result of both
land and water pollution, a significant amount of the Bald Eagle food
supply has been killed. In particular, the use of pesticides such as
DDT had been the greatest threat to the species.
Colour/Looks: The plumage of an adult Bald Eagle is evenly brown with a white head and tail. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. Males and females are identical in plumage coloration, however females display reverse sexual dimorphism and are 25 percent larger than males. The beak, feet, and irises are bright yellow. The legs are unfeathered, and the toes are short and powerful with large talons. The highly developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes. The beak is large and hooked, with a yellow cere.
Interesting Trivia:
- This bird takes four or five years to achieve its distinctive coloration, builds the largest nest of any bird in North America, has a less than 50 percent chance of reaching adulthood, and is likely, as an adult, to obtain its food by hunting and killing; younger birds rely more on scavenging and piracy.
- Bald Eagles occasionally hunt cooperatively, with one individual flushing prey towards another.
