| Description |
large; white head, neck and tail; brown-black body; massive yellow bill and feet |
| Sex |
males and females are similar but females are larger |
| Age |
juveniles are mostly dark brown with white blotches underneath and on the wing linings; become more white each molt; gain adult plumage after 4-5 years; immature calls are generally harsher |
| Length |
31-37" |
| Wingspan |
5.8-7.5' |
| Weight |
8-14 lbs. |
| Habitat |
rivers, lakes, coastal areas |
| Status |
seen across most of North America; common in Alaska, parts of Florida and in the Midwest during winter months; common along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in winter; became endangered in the 70s from pesticides; conservation programs and pesticide banning helped increase populations again |
| Range |
Alaska and Canada to the southern United States |
| Behavior |
monogamous pairs; breed April-August and build a stick nest as high as 150 feet above the ground, usually in a tree or on cliffs near water; renovate and add to their nest each year until it falls; 1 brood with 1-3 dull, whitish eggs; both parents incubate for 34-36 days until semi-altricial chicks hatch asynchronously; chicks leave nest at 10 weeks; large numbers of bald eagles often congregate where food is plentiful, like spawning ruts; will steal food from smaller and weaker osprey; fly low after prey |
| Diet |
carrion, fish, waterfowl, birds, small mammals |
| Vocalization |
sharp, pleading, creaking cackle; "kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik" |
| Other Information |
- The Bald Eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since 1782
|
