The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782. It was chosen because this species was unique to North America. Bald Eagles can be found in Canada, Northern Mexico, and in every state except Hawaii.
The American Bald Eagle is most recognized for its white head contrasting with its large dark-feathered body. Bald used to mean “white”, not hairless. A male Bald Eagle weighs about 9 pounds, and a female can weigh between 12-15 pounds. The wingspan of a Bald Eagle can reach up to 8 feet!
The American Bald Eagle like to nest in tall trees near large open bodies of water. Its diet mainly consists of fish, but the Bald Eagle also will eat a variety of small animals and carrion. These majestic birds will swoop down to catch their prey and then carry it off in their strong talons. The Bald Eagle only can carry about half of its weight and might drown if it tries to carry a fish that weighs too much.
Bald Eagles will choose only one mating companion for life. The pair will make a nest in a tall sturdy tree. The birds will continue to add material to the nest each year until the nest reaches an average of two feet deep and five feet across. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs in the spring. The eaglets are raised in the nest until they are about twelve weeks old. Unfortunately, only about half of the hatched eaglets reach their first birthday.
The American Bald Eagle was abundant when it was chosen as our national emblem. The Bald Eagles numbers dwindled, and the bird was listed on the endangered species list for a while before being upgraded to the threatened list. Fortunately, the American Bald Eagle has continued to grow in numbers, and in 2007, the beautiful emblem of the United States has been removed from the list.
