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10 Things You Should Know About The Bald Eagle

Eagle
Close-up of a bald eagle. Image by Ralfgeorg Feltes via Pexels.

The American Bald Eagle has been the US National Symbol for many years. These incredible, agile and stunning animals are known for their agility and distinctive white heads, but here are 10 other facts we thought you should know about the majestic Bald Eagle!

1. US National Symbol

Bald eagle
Two Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis ) fight for prey. Alaska. Image via depositphotos

The Bald Eagle has been the US National symbol and animal since 1782. This majestic predator’s fierce appearance and representation of freedom made the choice easy!

2. Perfect Scientific Name

bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

The Bald Eagle is scientifically known as Haliaeetus leucocephalus. And in Greek, where Haliaeetus translates to “sea eagle” and leucocephalus to “white head”. Perfectly describing the bald eagle!

3. The Bald Eagle’s Habitat

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BALD EAGLE ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) eagle about to land . Chilkat River Alaska USA America.
Image via depositphotos

These predators usually make their homes close to large bodies of open water such as lakes, coastal regions, and rivers. An important deciding factor for the home of choice is of course the food supply in the area and safe nesting space.

4. Impressive Wingspan

bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

The Bald Eagle has a lot of impressive qualities, but their wingspan is one of the most notable ones! As one of the largest birds in North America, their wingspan reaches between 6 to 7.5 feet – longer than most humans!

5. Bald Eagle Diet

Bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

Although these impressive hunters mostly feed on fish caught with their strong talons, they are also opportunistic feeders. Meaning that they will also eat small mammals, carrion, and other birds if they cross paths.

6. Longevity

bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

Another impressive fact about these birds we think you should know is their long lifespan. In the wild they often live between 20 and 30 years, and in captivity even longer!

7. Massive Nests

bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

Big birds need big nests! And this is made clear by the massive size of these Eagle’s nests. Their nests can be up to 13 feet deep and 8 feet wide – luckily they often reuse their nests so that they won’t have to build these massive homes each year!

8. Mate For Life

bald eagle
Image via depositphotos

These large birds choose a mate and pair for life. In the sad case that one of the mates passes away, the surviving eagle will find another mate to breed with.

9. Distinctive Call

Blad eage
Image via depositphotos

As big and impressive as the Bald Eagle is, they have rather weak and high-pitched calls. So much so, that in Hollywood movies they will often substitute the Bald Eagle’s call with that of a Red-tailed Hawk’s to add some drama!

10. Conservation Success

Bald eagle
Bald eagles build some of the largest nests of any bird species, often reaching up to 10 feet in diameter and weighing hundreds of pounds. Image by Andreas Barth via Pexels

Bald Eagles used to be on the brink of extinction due to serious habitat loss, illegal shooting, and the effects of pesticides. Luckily, conservation efforts were a success and these majestic birds were removed from the US Endangered Species list in 2007!

Last Say On The Things You Should Know About The Bald Eagle

Bald eagle
Bald eagle soaring through the air. Image by Stephen Meyers via Pexels.

From the massive nests Bald Eagles build to their impressive wingspan to their conservation success, the Bald Eagle continues to impress us. We hope that you could also learn something new from this article.

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