Bald Eagle (Also known as American Eagle)
Haliaeetus leucocephalus


SIZE:

Length 27 to 30 inches; weight, 9 to 10 pounds; wingspan, 6 ½ to 8 feet.


RANGE:

Alaska to Florida; some still in Arizona, Montana, Colorado, & Wyoming.


HABITAT:

High cliffs, trees near lakes, rivers, streams, and seas.


DIET:

Fresh fish and meat; carrion.


STATUS:

Southern nesting bald eagles still listed as Endangered. Other populations recently upgraded to Threatened. Original decline caused by habitat destruction, hunting,and increasing concentrations (biomagnification) of pesticides in food chain. Protection under Endangered Species Act has helped increase their number.


SENSES:

Binocular vision allows for keen eyesight; able to see a rabbit a mile away while flying high on air currents. Excellent hearing; ranks next to sight in importance to bird's survival. The feathers next to ear opening are adapted to minimize turbulence in flight which protects the hearing organ itself.


BEAK:

Strong and curved for ripping food apart.


FEET/LEGS:

Talons are strong and sharp; able to pick up fish, rabbits, and other small mammals in flight or on land.


FLIGHT:

The wings are very powerful and are flat when gliding or soaring. For their size, eagles are the most powerful birds in the world.


COURTSHIP:

Monogamous pairs mate for life.


NEST/EGGS/YOUNG:

A large stick nest is built high up in a tree or on an isolated cliff. Both parents incubate eggs and feed young.


MISC:

The white feathers responsible for being called "bald" appear on the head at 3 to 5 years of age. The bald eagle became the national symbol of the United States in 1782 and is protected by Federal law. For this reason the bald eagle on display at our zoo is "on loan" from the Federal Government. The body must be returned to the government upon its death. Feathers are given to various Indian tribes for their ceremonies.