Bald eagle 🇺🇸🇺🇸

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of the most famous birds in the world and the national bird and symbol of the United States. Known for their striking white heads and fierce yellow eyes, bald eagles represent strength, freedom, and majesty.

Bald eagles are large birds of prey, also called raptors.

• Size: They can have a wingspan of up to 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) and weigh between 3 to 6.5 kilograms (6.5 to 14 pounds).
• Appearance: Adults have a white head and white tail, with a dark brown body and wings.
• Beak and eyes: Their large, hooked yellow beak helps them tear into their food, and their strong yellow eyes provide excellent vision.
• Young eagles: Juvenile bald eagles are mostly dark brown with white blotches. They do not get their famous white head and tail until they are about 4 to 5 years old.

Bald eagles live in North America, mainly in the United States and Canada.

They prefer areas near lakes, rivers, and large bodies of water, because they rely on fish for much of their diet. You can often find them nesting in tall trees or on cliffs that give them a good view of the water and surrounding area.

Bald eagles are carnivores and eat a variety of meat, but they are best known for being skilled fish hunters.

• Main diet: Fish such as salmon, trout, and other freshwater or coastal species.
• Other food: They also eat birds, small mammals (like rabbits), reptiles, and carrion (dead animals).
• Hunting style: They soar high or perch to look for prey. Once they spot a fish, they swoop down quickly, grabbing it with their powerful talons.

Bald eagles are also known to steal food from other birds, such as ospreys — this behavior is called "kleptoparasitism."

Bald eagles are monogamous, usually mating for life.

• Nests (called eyries): They build enormous nests in tall trees or cliffs near water. These nests can be reused and added to each year, sometimes reaching up to 4 meters (13 feet) deep and 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide, and weighing over a ton!
• Eggs: The female usually lays 1 to 3 eggs. Both parents take turns incubating them for about 35 days.
• Chicks: After hatching, chicks (called eaglets) are cared for and fed by both parents. They grow rapidly and usually leave the nest (fledge) at about 10 to 12 weeks old.

Bald eagles are skilled fliers and spend a lot of time soaring and gliding on air currents, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 56 km/h (35 mph) when cruising and over 160 km/h (100 mph) when diving.

They spend their days:

• Hunting and fishing
• Perching in tall trees to rest or watch for prey
• Maintaining and protecting their nests
• Interacting with mates and defending their territory

Bald eagles have excellent eyesight, about four to five times better than a human's. This allows them to spot a fish from hundreds of feet in the air.

Their strong talons and sharp beak make them perfectly adapted for catching and tearing apart prey.

In the 20th century, bald eagle populations dropped dramatically, mainly due to:

• DDT pesticide: This chemical made eggshells too thin, causing them to break.
• Hunting and habitat loss

Thanks to legal protections and conservation efforts (including banning DDT in 1972), bald eagle populations recovered.

• In 1963, there were only about 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states of the U.S.
• By 2007, bald eagles were removed from the U.S. endangered species list.
• Today, there are thousands of nesting pairs, and their numbers continue to grow.

They are now a powerful symbol of successful conservation.

Bald eagles have deep cultural significance:

• United States symbol: Chosen in 1782 as the national emblem of the U.S., representing freedom and strength.
• Indigenous cultures: Many Native American tribes consider the bald eagle sacred. Their feathers are used in spiritual ceremonies and symbolize honor and connection to the Creator.

The bald eagle is a large, majestic bird known for its white head and powerful hunting skills. They live near water, mostly eat fish, and build some of the biggest nests of any bird. With incredible eyesight, strong talons, and fierce loyalty to their mates, they are true rulers of the sky.

Once endangered, they have made an inspiring comeback and today symbolize freedom and strength across North America.