American Eagle

American Eagle. The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). 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.

Description and characteristics

The adult bald eagle is unmistakable with its brown body, white head and tail, and a powerful, bright yellow beak. The sexes are identical in plumage, but females are about 25% larger than males. The beak is large and hooked, with a yellow cere. The irides of the eyes are yellow, and the legs and feet are also bright yellow. The plumage of the immature bird is dark brown with white mottling, and the head and tail gradually whiten over a period of four to five years until reaching full adult plumage. The bald eagle has a body length of 70–102 cm (28–40 in) and a typical wingspan of 1.8–2.3 m (5 ft 11 in – 7 ft 7 in). Mass is normally between 3 and 6.3 kg (6.6 and 13.9 lb). Its wings are broad and its flight is powerful and direct, often described as soaring. The vocalizations are a series of high-pitched, whistling, or piping notes, weaker than those of the golden eagle.

Distribution and habitat

The bald eagle's natural range covers most of North America, including most of Canada, all of the continental United States, and northern Mexico. It is the only sea eagle endemic to the continent. It occurs during its breeding season in virtually any kind of American wetland habitat such as seacoasts, rivers, large lakes or marshes or other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Sticks used for nesting are typically from large, old-growth trees like pines or oaks. Wintering birds tend to congregate in areas with open water and ample food, such as along the Mississippi River or in the Pacific Northwest. Some populations, particularly in the southern parts of its range, are resident year-round.

Behavior and ecology

The bald eagle is an opportunistic carnivore with the capacity for scavenging. Its diet consists mainly of fish, which it often snatches from the water's surface with its talons. It also preys upon waterbirds, small mammals, and reptiles. It frequently steals food from other birds, such as ospreys. Bald eagles are powerful fliers, and they engage in spectacular courtship displays involving dramatic aerial maneuvers like the cartwheel display. They are monogamous and mate for life, returning to massive nests, or aeries, which they reuse and enlarge annually. These nests, built in tall trees or on cliffs, are among the largest of any bird's. The typical clutch is one to three eggs, and both parents share in incubation and feeding the young eaglets.

Relationship with humans

The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States and appears on its Seal. It has been a spiritual symbol for Native American cultures for centuries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was heavily persecuted, seen as a threat to livestock and game fish. The use of the pesticide DDT after World War II caused severe population declines by thinning eggshells. Its plight was a major catalyst for the modern environmental movement and legislation like the Endangered Species Act. It has been featured prominently in art, on currency including the quarter, and in the logos of many institutions and corporations.

Conservation status

Once listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act, the bald eagle made a remarkable recovery following the banning of DDT in 1972 and extensive conservation efforts, including legal protection and hacking programs. It was removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species in 2007 and transferred to the list of Threatened and then fully delisted. It remains protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Current threats include habitat destruction, lead poisoning from ingested ammunition, and collisions with power lines and wind turbines. Its population is now considered stable and increasing.

Category:Birds of North America Category:Birds of prey Category:National symbols of the United States