Did you know that the United States adopted the bald eagle as the national bird and symbol of the nation in 1782? Because the Sea Eagle was so common in Europe at the time, settlers in the 18th century gave the bald eagle its name, thinking it was the same bird. No European has ever seen a bald eagle, as they were native only to North America. The scientific name of the bald eagle is Haliaetus leucocephalus, which actually translates from Latin and Greek into 'sea eagle with a white head.' We still call them sea eagles to this day.



North America is the home of only one variety of 'sea eagle'- the bald eagle. The bald eagle has a striking appearance, with its dark brown feathers set off by the stark white feathers of its tail and head. The bald eagle's image has been used on many items over the years, including coins, flags, seals, and on buildings.

Bald eagles are fierce and powerful birds of prey as are all raptors, which include the hawks, falcons, eagles, vultures, and owls. The bald eagle lives on a diet of live prey, such as waterfowl and fish, as well as rodents, snakes, rabbits, and birds, but they will eat carrion when there is no live prey to be eaten.

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.

In Alaska, the largest eagles can be found, while the smaller varieties live in Florida. Wherever the bald eagle lives, the animals in the region scatter when the bird begins to land.

An area 2 to 15 miles square is the area needed for a pair of bald eagles to hunt in. The fiercely guarded nest of the bald eagle is often the home for a pair of eagles. On the eastern cost of Central Florida, the bald eagle may chase an Osprey along the Indian River lagoon in order to steal its catch. The Osprey usually drops its hard-won catch in order to escape the powerful eagle, and the eagle, not at all fussy about its meals, will then eat it.

Bald eagles are social animals, staying loyal to family even as they remain fierce birds of prey. This species chooses its mate for life, unlike most birds. Though most birds live a much shorter time, the bald eagle can live for as many as 25 years. The bald eagle can be found in many areas of North America, from Alaska, to Mexico, and all over the continental United States and Canada.

Bald eagles travel far each year in search of cooler weather in the hot summer months, then go back to the area where they hatched, usually mating within a few hundred miles of the area. Breeding bald eagles lay one to three eggs in the spring, which hatch about 35 days later. It takes about three months for the babies to start flying, and after the fourth month, they fly away from the nest to strike out for themselves. 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 the U.S. Congress tried to help the species by passing the Bald Eagle Protection Act in 1940? The Act protected bald eagles by making it illegal for anyone to bother or disturb these birds. It also protected them by making it illegal to take the birds or their nests or eggs, in order to buy, sell, trade, own, import or export them. 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. The bald eagle was given a chance to be saved by the many reintroduction programs and new laws that were enacted to help them. It seemed nearly impossible to save the species from extinction at the time.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 allowed species that were small in numbers to be classified as threatened, and species with very low populations to be classified as endangered. The dramatic return of the bald eagle population removed it from most endangered species lists in the early 1990s.

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. With the increasing population of the bald eagle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service will soon take the bird off the endangered species list.

Watching these magnificent birds is a pleasure. The bald eagle takes off with strides that are powerful and purposeful. The eagle soars as if in slow motion. The prize remains in its sight as it keeps steady on its path. The skies of North America are increasingly filled with the majestic bald eagle. Make sure to see these magnificent animals for yourself as soon as possible.