Bald eagle

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Weight: 6-14 pounds; Height: 36-42 inches; Wingspan: 6-7.5 feet
Immature bald eagles are often mistaken for golden eagles because they are more uniformly brown with increasing density of white blotches until approximately 5 years of age when they fully mature.
Mature adults have characteristic white plumage on their head, neck, and tail. Their legs and bill are yellow.
Males are smaller than females and the species increases in size the further north they live. Birds in the southeast are the smallest.
During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph. In a dive they can reach 100 mph.
Bald eagles can carry 3-5 pounds depending on airspeed and size of bird. An eagle that lands on a beach to grab a fish will be able to carry less than if they were to catch it out of the water mid flight. The bald eagle is a strong swimmer, and will often swim to shore after catching a fish that is too large to fly with. Their lightweight and thick down feathers help keep the eagle buoyant.

Range – North America; Found in all continental U.S. states, all Canadian provinces, and northern Mexico.
Habitat – Along waterways, especially near rivers, lakes, and coastal areas.

Wild – Fish, carrion, waterfowl, Small Mammals
Zoo – Quail, Fish, Mice, Rats, Rabbit, Chicken, Bird of Prey diet
Bald eagles are predators, with excellent eyesight and powerful talons used to capture prey. Bald eagles can snatch fish from the water as they fly by. They will also scavenge carrion (especially in the winter) and steal food from smaller birds such as osprey by harassing them until they are forced to abandon their catch.

Many bald eagles mate for life and will often return to the same nest year after year, resulting in some of the largest nests in North America. Some of the largest nests weigh between 2,000 and 4,000 lbs. Nests are typically 5-8 feet wide, 3-11 feet deep, and are constructed near the crown of a large tree with sticks, grass, and moss and lined with softer material including down feathers from adults.
Courtship, breeding and egg-laying typically occur in late fall or early winter for southern birds and early spring for northern birds.
1-3 eggs are laid at a time with two eggs being the most common (79% of the time). Incubation lasts for 34-36 days. Both parents help sit on the nest with females taking on the majority of the task (72%).
Usually only one chick survives, but two or three may survive as long as food is plentiful.
Young bald eagles fledge at 12 weeks and stay with their parents for another month.
Bald eagles mature at 4-5 years of age.

In 1963 there were only 417 breeding pairs of bald eagles left in the lower 48 states due to the widespread use of DDT as a pesticide, habitat destruction, and illegal hunting. DDT was used from 1947-1972 and contaminated waterways and the fish that lived there. Bald eagles and other species such as brown pelicans and peregrine falcons that ate the contaminated fish were affected by impaired reproduction due to thin eggshells that were prone to breaking. Nest success for bald eagles decreased from 79% to 14% and productivity decreased from 1.6 to 0.2 fledglings/nest. DDT was banned by the EPA in 1972.
The bald eagle was declared an endangered species in 1978.
In 1995, the population had increased to 4,450 breeding pairs which resulted in their status being downgraded from endangered to threatened.
Banning DDT and protecting critical habitat and nesting sites helped bald eagle populations recover to 9,789 breeding pairs in 2006. The bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list in 2007.
Bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacey Act which make it illegal to take, possess, or sell eagles, feathers, nests, or eggs without permit.
Illegal hunting, wetland drainage, and human development and recreation along waterways pose a threat to bald eagles. Residual pesticides (DDT) and lead from birdshot have lingered in their environment and continue to cause reproduction and health problems.

At times, Bald eagles soar together in groups called kettles. Kettle is a term applied to groups of birds that soar upwards on thermals in groups. Includes storks, pelicans, raptors, cranes and a kettle may include multiple species.
Balde is an Old English word meaning white and is the origin of the bald eagle’s name. Bald eagles were chosen as the national symbol in 1782 and can be seen on U.S. currency, seals, etc. Some estimate that as many as 100,000 nesting eagles were around at this time. Early population losses were likely due to a decline in prey species, perceived threats to livestock, and loss of nesting habitat.
Current population is approximately 100,000 birds, with the majority in Alaska and Canada.
Bald eagles and other birds are often killed or injured due to collisions with cars and power lines, gunshots, and ingestion of toxic substances. Rehabilitating injured, sick, or orphaned birds requires a great deal of skill. The goal of rehabilitation is re-release into the wild, but that is not possible in all cases. Captive birds are typically non-releasable, injured, wild-born birds. FWS permits are required to house a bald eagle.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (2015). Eagle Flight and Other Myths. Retrieved July 23, 2015, from: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=343
Carolina Raptor Center. (2015). Bald Eagle. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/treetest/bald-eagle-
National Eagle Center. (2015). FAQ. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/learn/faq/
National Wildlife Federation. (2015). Bald Eagle. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: https://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-library/birds/bald-eagle.aspx
Smithsonian National Zoological Park. (2015). Bald Eagle. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/Facts/fact-baldeagle.cfm
Southeastern Raptor Center. (2015). Raptor Rehabilitation. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: http://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/raptor/rehabilitation/
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2015). Bald Eagles. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/index.html
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. (2015). Bald Eagle Facts. Retrieved July 23, 2015, from: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/birds/bald-eagles.asp

Updated July 2015