Interesting Bald Eagle Facts

Many people don't know that the bald eagle has been the symbol of the United States and the nation's national bird since 1782. Settlers arriving in America chose the name bald eagle, believing the bird was the common European Sea Eagle. There were no bald eagles in Europe, as the bald eagle is found only in North America. The bald eagle is still called the sea eagle, as evidenced by its scientific name, Haliaetus leucocephalus, meaning 'sea eagle with a white head.'

Of the 'sea eagle' species, the bald eagle is the only one that is native to North America. The bald eagle is immediately obvious by its smooth, white head and white tail, contrasted by the deep brown feathers of its body. Coins, flags, buildings, and seals in the United States have used the image of the bald eagle to symbolize the country.

The bald eagle is a fierce bird of prey, along with other raptors, such as hawks, vultures, owls, and falcons. The bald eagle will eat carrion when there is no live prey, but mainly prefer to eat live animals such as rabbits, rodents, snakes, smaller birds, and especially fish and waterfowl. Few animals dare stand in the way of the bald eagle, who can reach an adult size of 16 pounds, with wingspans of 7.5 feet and lengths of 32 inches. Alaska is home to the larger eagles, while the smaller ones make their homes in Florida. The bald eagle is known to other animals as a fierce predator in whatever region it is found.

Bald eagles need plenty of space for hunting, requiring 2 to 15 square miles of hunting ground for every hunting pair. Each pair of bald eagles shares a nest, furiously guarding it from predators. Bald eagles living along the Indian River lagoon located on the Central Florida coast have been known to go after Ospreys who have themselves caught a meal. The eagle will then get to eat the Osprey's catch, as the Osprey drops its squirming prey to escape the eagle.

These powerful birds of prey retain a strong instinct toward family loyalty. This species chooses its mate for life, unlike most birds. Most birds live only a few years, but the bald eagle in the wild can live to be as old as 25. The bald eagle lives all over the North American continent, from Alaska nd Canada, across the continental U.S., and into Mexico.

The birds are frequent long-distance travelers, flying long distances north in the summer, but will mate within a few hundred miles of the place they were hatched. When spring arrives, bald eagles of breeding age can lay between one and three eggs, which hatch in around 35 days. It takes about three months for the newly hatched baby eagles to begin flying, and another month before they fly away and live on their own. The bald eagle, despite the dangers of disease, hunger, bad weather, and toxic chemicals, still adapt to their environments and live into their second year 70% of the time.

Did you know that to save the species in 1940 the United States Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act? The law prohibits anyone from disturbing or bothering bald eagles. The law also prohibited taking the animals, their eggs, or their nests, for any reason unless they have a permit. Taking the bald eagle includes killing or wounding the birds, as well as shooting at them, capturing them, or disturbing them.

The overuse of pesticides commercially and residentially, as well as the use of DDT and other harmful chemicals, led to the steep decline of bald eagles. Reintroduction programs, some federally funded and some private, as well as new laws have given the bald eagle a chance to return in numbers. When the law was enacted, it was thought that the species could not be saved from extinction.

In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, enabling low and very low population animals to have a legal classification of threatened or endangered. Bald eagles stayed on most states' endangered species lists until the 1990s, when the species began to dramatically increase in numbers.

The bald eagle was reclassified by Congress as threatened on August 11, 1995, after its numbers grew from 500 pairs in 1963 to 5,000 pairs in 1994. As the number of bald eagles increase, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has plans to remove the bird from the endangered species list altogether.

The mighty bald eagle makes a wonderful bird watching experience. The long strides of the bald eagle as it launches leads into the soaring, slow motion movement of the bird in flight. The eagle stays fixed on its path, the prize kept firmly in sight. The skies of North America are increasingly filled with the majestic bald eagle. These beautiful animals should certainly be seen in person.

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