When I walked around the back of the hotel in Dutch, I surprized a big 'ol bald eagle dumpster diving with three of his raven friends. Later I found out the ravens were not really his friends. They tricked him into surrendering his meal! Bald Eagles play an important role in this ecosystem. They are scavengers, not only in Nature, but out of garbage dumps too.
Creature Feature Bald Eagle
Scientific name: Haliaeetus luecocephalus
Tell me about the Bald Eagle.
Bald eagle
The eagle is called 'bald' because of white feathers on their heads. Its yellow eyes and beak stand in contrast to its dark brown body. Eagles can reach flight speeds between 35 and 44 miles per hour.
How big are bald eagles?
The bald eagle is 32 to 40 inches long with a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. Males are smaller than females.
How many Bald Eagles are alive today?
80,000 to 110,000 eagles exist in the wild. There are 4,500 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states.
How long do they live?
Over 30 years in the wild. They live longer in captivity because they have a better diet and are protected.
bald eagle call
Where do they live?
Bald Eagles live in Canada, Alaska and lower 48 states. They like to hang out in forests, valleys, mountain regions, lakes, rivers and along waters’ edge.
They build nests in the limbs of tall trees. Their nests are used year after year with new additions of mosses and sticks. Nests can reach 5 feet across, 2 feet high and weigh 4,000 pounds!
What do they eat?
Bald eagles eat fish, waterfowl, and small to medium mammals. They kill their prey with their talons (feet and claws) and use their beaks for tearing flesh. They are scavengers that will eat anything from dead fish, to road kill, and dumpster food.
Eagle has landed
eagle landing
This is a picture of an eagle landing taken in Dutch Harbor, Alaska by Ned Cokelet. They are awesome birds!
How do they reproduce?
Bald Eagles often mate for life. Once paired, the female lays two eggs in the spring. After 35 days, one or two chicks hatch. If two are hatched, usually only the chick that is more aggressive, and takes most of the food, survives. At 15 weeks of age, the young permanently leaves the nest.
What threats do they have?
Bald Eagles have lost their homes to humans in many coastal areas. Since they scavenge (eat dead or decaying food) heavy metals and other poisons can concentrate in their body and kill them.
Did you know?
Bald eagles can swim! They use an overhand movement of the wings that is very much like the butterfly stroke.
Most all of the information for this creature feature was taken directly from:
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/bald_eagle.html Word for word, just copied and pasted. I’d like to credit them for writing and researching it. You can find lots more information there too! Make sure you give them credit if you are using this information for reference!