Animal Facts

A beautiful and majestic raptor, the Bald Eagle has been a National symbol of the United States since 1782. An imposing bird, these eagles have a wingspan six and eight feet wide and weigh between ten and fourteen pounds. Both genders have dark brown feathers all over with the exception of the white feathers covering their head and neck, from which their name originates. Their tail feathers are also white, their beaks and feet bright yellow.

Great hunters, bald eagles will swoop down and pull fish right out of the water. Because fish is their preferred food, these eagles are almost always found along coastlines, lakes or rivers. Even though it's their favored prey, they don't limit their diet to just fish, they will sometimes catch small mammals or even eat carrion when available.

Bald eagles mate for life and both parents share the responsibilities of nest building, incubation and baby care. The nests these eagles assemble are among the largest in the world. A pair will usually have a clutch of one to three eggs that they incubate for thirty five days before the eaglets hatch. The babies stay in the nest, cared for by their parents until their fluffy down is replaced by feathers and they can begin to learn to fly. Young eagles are all dark; their distinctive white feathers don't grow in until the bird is around five years old.