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The American bald eagle
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Our national bird, the American bald eagle (Haliaeetus
leucocephalus), is characterized by its white head and tail feathers and sharp yellow
beak. Bald eagles are large birds with wings
up to 7 ft 6 in. (2.3 m) long and a relatively short tail. These adaptations allow them to soar
(to glide on updrafts without flapping their wings) as they search for prey.
Typical diet
Bald eagles love to eat fish. They prey upon dead and dying fish,
which they easily spot from aloft with their keen eyesight. Eagles swoop down and use their sharp
talons to snatch fish that are near the surface of the water.
Bald eagles
will often rob the smaller osprey of its catch. In addition to catching and stealing
fish, bald eagles will also prey on smaller birds and mammals.
Social and
reproductive aspects
Breeding pairs of bald eagles remain together and reestablish their bonds each year. In a
spectacular display of courtship, the birds lock talons in midair and somersault together
towards the ground.
The
nest of the bald eagle, which is made of large sticks, is typically built in the top of a
tall tree. These
nests can have a diameter of 8 ft (2.4 m) and be
11 ft (3.3 m) deep! The
female usually lays one to 3 eggs in the nest. She incubates the eggs most of the time,
but the male will occasionally relieve her of this duty.
The
competitive, aggressive young remain in the nest for 10 or 11 weeks. The
youngest or weakest of the brood is usually starved or killed.
Predators
Once an endangered species, American bald eagles are slowly and steadily making a comeback
from the decline in their population, mainly caused by pesticides spread by humans in the
1950s and 1960s.
References
Special thanks to the
National
Audubon Society.
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